Chapter 154: The Birthday Banquet Ignites a Storm

In the twelfth year of Emperor Jia Zhao, the third day of the tenth month, the moon faced north, the southern three assassins loomed, and the day was cut short.

At the Zou residence in Prince Yongning Lane, Jin Ling, colorful banners hung and lanterns glowed, joy filled the air, and guests streamed in without end.

Today was the fortieth birthday of Zou Zou Huaiyi, the Battalion Commander of the Jin Ling Garrison Water Supervision Office.

Many prominent figures in the Jin Ling officialdom came in person to offer birthday greetings; even those who didn't attend sent birthday gifts.

Since the court established the Maritime Trade Office in Jin Ling to facilitate overseas commerce, the authority of the Jin Ling Garrison Water Supervision Office had surged accordingly.

It oversaw patrols along all outward waterways, guarded commercial docks, inspected incoming and outgoing merchant ships, and eradicated Japanese pirates and sea bandits, bearing the heavy responsibility of safeguarding Jin Ling's maritime trade.

Simultaneously, due to its authority and duties, the Water Supervision Office controlled the financial choke points of overseas trade—all understood without being spoken.

In Jin Ling's official circles, seven or eight out of ten were involved in profiting from maritime trade, so everyone relied to some extent on the Water Supervision Office's connections.

As the Battalion Commander of the Water Supervision Office, Zou Zou Huaiyi's prominence in Jin Ling's officialdom was thus obvious.

Servants and attendants from the Zou residence flowed out, serving dishes and wine; soon, the birthday banquet buzzed with clinking cups and laughter, the atmosphere thick with merriment.

The main hall and front reception rooms were lined with banquet tables; eight or nine out of ten guests had arrived. Familiar colleagues and old friends exchanged pleasantries, chatted and laughed, the hall alive with clamor.

Cui Cui Boliang replied: "All guests have arrived except for the Prefect of Yingtian, Jia Yucun—he didn't come, and his birthday gift hasn't arrived either. I personally delivered the birthday invitation along with that pair of sheep-fat jade ruyi scepters."

He asked Cui Cui Boliang, his guest master, "Have all the guests arrived?"

Zou Zou Huaiyi frowned; he wasn't concerned about Jia Yucun's gift.

Immediately behind him, a large group of soldiers surged in, but their uniforms were not those of Jin Ling Garrison troops—each held a firearm six or seven feet long.

Zou Zou Huaiyi moved among the banquet tables, greeting superiors and colleagues. Today he wore a newly made birthday robe, with a jade tablet belt tied at his waist inscribed with "Fortune and Longevity"—a gift from his daughter.

On either side of the main hall's pillars, a new couplet had been hung: "Glory and nobility fill the gate with joy; fortune, longevity, health, and peace bring spring to every household." It perfectly highlighted the opulence and clamor of the Zou residence.

At that moment, a sudden loud crash came from outside—the door forcibly breached—followed by a few startled cries, quickly swallowed by silence.

Zou Zou Huaiyi felt a sudden unease, though he couldn't pinpoint why. An old acquaintance approached to greet him, so he set it aside and told Cui Cui Boliang to begin the banquet.

He thought: if you've issued an invitation, in official circles, even if you don't attend, you must still send a gift—no matter how small. Jia Yucun was a seasoned official—how could he neglect even this basic courtesy?

In the side hall, birthday gifts piled like mountains: besides ordinary gold and jade, there were also many rare overseas treasures—coral, pearls, agate, ivory—due to Jin Ling's status as a maritime trade port.

For his fortieth birthday, those close to him naturally sent gifts; even those with ordinary ties sent presents to gain familiarity, so that later, when seeking favors in maritime trade, they could more easily approach him.

The banquet's guest master was Zou Zou Huaiyi's trusted Company Commander, Cui Cui Boliang, who was now bustling about, assisting with guest reception.

The Water Supervision Office had ten Company Commanders under it; three were on duty at the main camp, and the remaining seven all attended—these were all officers Zou Zou Huaiyi had personally promoted.

From behind the courtyard's screen wall stepped a tall, elegant youth, handsome and refined, dressed in a pale moon-white robe, a curved saber hanging at his waist, slowly entering the front hall.

Many guests rose in astonishment, all turning their gaze toward the hall's entrance.

Even Zou Zou Huaiyi's superior, the Regional Military Commissioner of Jin Ling, Du Heng, though ill these past two days, had sent his Deputy Commander, Zhang Zhang Kangyan, with a gift—still granting him full face.

These men moved with practiced ease, forming three neat rows behind the youth, swift and synchronized—clearly well-trained. Once the formation was complete, a chilling aura of lethal intent surged forth.

Many guests were Jin Ling Garrison officers; they knew only hardened soldiers who had seen battle and death could possess such a bloodthirsty, fearsome aura—many wore expressions of shock.

Cui Cui Boliang's face paled; he whispered to Zou Zou Huaiyi: "Sir, these fire-arm soldiers' uniforms—they're the Ning Prince's personal guards!"

Zou Zou Huaiyi's face turned ashen; he quickly steadied himself and demanded: "Who are you? Why do you bring armed troops into an official residence? What crime is this?"

At once, servants had relayed the news to the rear courtyard; over a dozen armed guards rushed out from both side corridors, blades and spears gleaming, forming a protective circle around Zou Zou Huaiyi.

Many guests at today's banquet were Jin Ling Garrison officers, but since they came to pay birthday respects, none had brought weapons—lest they offend the host's auspicious occasion.

Yet Zou Zou Huaiyi, as a fourth-rank military officer, naturally had some martial retainers guarding his home.

"I am Jia Cong, Advisor to the Ning Prince's Jin Ling Residence!"

"You!" Zou Zou Huaiyi's eyes flashed—he clearly knew who Jia Cong was.

"Why have you brought armed troops here today?"

"Zou Zou Huaiyi, you have gathered and harbored Japanese ronin, murdered and plundered on the high seas, committing dozens of major crimes—now your deeds are exposed!"

"Your Japanese ronin have wreaked havoc at Longtan Port, killed soldiers, slaughtered civilians, and caused a great disaster."

"To cover for them, you ordered them to murder sixty-one Yingtian Prefecture constables and prisoners, replacing them with imposters infiltrating the Daci En Temple construction site."

"Each of these crimes merits death. Today, I come under the Ning Prince's direct order to arrest you—surrender!"

Jia Cong's words stunned many present—this Jia Cong claimed Zou Zou Huaiyi was the mastermind behind the Longtan Port massacre and listed his crimes—what was going on?

But some stared darkly at Jia Cong, glancing repeatedly at Zou Zou Huaiyi's reaction.

Jia Cong's accusations darkened Zou Zou Huaiyi's face—he knew well what he had done. He had always been cautious, believing himself without flaw, yet now his crimes had surfaced—why?

But having committed such grave acts, his will was ruthless, unlike ordinary men—he would not surrender easily.

"You're a green boy with no experience! On your empty words, without a shred of evidence, you dare arrest a fourth-rank official of the court? Do you treat state law as a joke?"

"No evidence? A few days ago, the Prince's personal guards ambushed a band of Japanese ronin on Mount Mount Qixia and captured five alive—one named Huang You'an. Does the name ring a bell, Commander Zou?"

Jia Cong saw Zou Zou Huaiyi's face turn livid at the mention of Huang You'an—he knew: Huang You'an and those ronin were indeed Zou's fatal weakness, or he wouldn't react so violently.

At that moment, an official rose from the banquet table and said: "Advisor Jia, I am Zhang Zhang Kangyan, Deputy Commander of the Jin Ling Garrison. Even if Commander Zou bears guilt—"

"To arrest a fourth-rank military officer requires an order from the Five Military Directorates. Do you have such an order, Advisor Jia?"

Jia Cong smiled coldly, drew a scroll from his robe, and held it aloft: "This is the Emperor's edict granted to the Ning Prince, granting him full authority to handle the Longtan Port case."

"During the investigation, all Jin Ling offices and garrisons are under his command, and the Prince has been granted discretionary power. Now that witnesses are all present, can you still say he cannot arrest Zou Zou Huaiyi?"

"Are you, Deputy Commander, suggesting the Ning Prince forged the edict? Are you here to inspect the edict's contents—or to incite Zou Zou Huaiyi to rebel against imperial orders?"

Zhang Zhang Kangyan's face changed—he realized this boy had a sharp tongue.

If he demanded to examine the edict, he would be branded as doubting the Ning Prince, suspected of defying court and prince—among so many Jin Ling officials, the fallout would be endless.

Zhang Zhang Kangyan's face flushed with shame, yet he bowed his head: "The Ning Prince is of imperial blood—he would never forge an edict. I spoke foolishly."

Jia Cong knew his side had prepared thoroughly and feared no desperate move from Zou Zou Huaiyi, but he did not wish to spill blood to capture him.

Zhang Zhang Kangyan, seeing his youth, thought him easy to deceive—he sought to stall him with words, preventing Jia Cong from swiftly arresting Zou Zou Huaiyi.

But now the two sides were locked in confrontation—delay bred change—so Jia Cong had spoken thus to silence Zhang Zhang Kangyan, though he still did not know whether Zhang Zhang Kangyan was involved.

(End of Chapter)