Chapter 144: Kneel and Apologize to the Young Protector, to Calm the People

You stood quietly, ignoring the two of them.

Your gaze fell upon Wei Yue, and you spoke softly:

"I remember Yue'er—you once wrote a blood letter accusing the Imperial City Office."

Wei Yue blinked slightly, then recalled her earlier decision.

Back then, filled with grief and fury, she had decided to write this blood letter in her own blood to clear her father's wrongful accusation.

What she never expected was that before the blood letter could reach the Imperial City Office's heavenly drum, she was arrested by the Western Factory.

Now, hearing you mention it,

her heart churned with mixed emotions—regret for her impulsive act.

She pulled the blood letter from her bosom: a white silk, stained with blood.

You took the letter and unfolded it gently; the characters, though faded, were still legible.

It detailed all your uncle's past achievements in the northern lands, and evidence proving he had no ties to Prince Jing.

A heart of pure loyalty!

A deeper pang of guilt stirred within you.

Wei Yue lowered her head, consumed by self-reproach, and whispered with a trace of apology: "I was wrong. I brought trouble to the family."

You comforted her softly: "Yue'er, you did nothing wrong. The fault lies in this unjust world."

"Brother, help me file the charge!"

She was only seventeen, her mother dead, her father imprisoned—such a heavy burden rested on her frail shoulders.

What could she possibly do?

All she felt was injustice: her father had lived a spotless life, devoted himself utterly to Daqing, yet ended up like this.

She summoned every ounce of courage, risked everything, just to seek justice—a fair trial.

She refused to let her father die without the truth being known!

But this world would not allow it!

Yet this world was cold and cruel, offering her not a single shred of comfort.

Upon hearing this, Wei Yue's eyes welled up again.

You turned to Dong Jie and said calmly: "I won't accept the edict."

Dong Jie's face darkened instantly—he clearly hadn't anticipated your direct refusal.

He knew full well that if Lu Chen and the Grand Empress Dowager united, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Lu Lu, standing nearby, looked pleased.

Dong Jie took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down—he knew he must show sincerity now to salvage the situation.

He forced himself to say: "Young Protector, you cannot reject His Majesty's edict because of Dong Jie's momentary rashness. His Majesty acted with sincere intent."

Knowing his words carried insufficient weight, he took another deep breath and gritted his teeth: "I, Dong Jie, will kneel before you now and beg your forgiveness—is that acceptable?"

With that,

he knelt without hesitation and performed a full prostration.

The surrounding Jinwu Guards stared in shock.

Just moments ago, they had seen Dong Jie standing there with unshakable confidence—now he knelt before Lu Chen. The sudden shift left them stunned.

These Jinwu Guards were Dong Jie's personal men; they knew full well that if this spread, the Jinwu Guard's reputation would be shattered.

So!

They urgently pleaded: "Commander Dong, think carefully!"

Dong Jie roared: "All of you—kneel! Apologize to the Young Protector!" His voice rang with authority.

The officers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to do.

Every Jinwu Guard wore expressions of fury—they were the Emperor's direct guard, always holding themselves above all others, yet today they were forced to kneel before Lu Chen, a man with no official rank—this was a grave insult to their dignity.

But then Dong Jie added coldly: "Those who refuse will be charged with mutiny on the battlefield!"

Mutiny on the battlefield carried the same penalty as desertion: immediate execution. They dared not hesitate further.

They knelt in unison!

Heads bowed to the ground.

"Please, Young Protector, forgive us!"

The Jinwu Guards' faces showed only resentment.

Lu Yu let out a cold laugh.

Wei Yue stood to the side, utterly stunned.

So many twists in one day—just moments ago, the Jinwu Guard commander had been arrogant and commanding; now he knelt before them. It felt unreal.

She turned to her cousin Lu Chen, who had remained calm and composed since entering the courtyard.

She couldn't help but admire him deeply!

You looked at Dong Jie and continued: "Go back and tell your master: if the Son of Heaven commits an error, is he not accountable?"

Dong Jie clenched his fists—he longed to order Lu Chen and the others killed on the spot.

But he had no choice.

You turned to Lu Lu: "Take back the golden arrow too."

Lu Lu froze—he hadn't expected you to so bluntly reject the Grand Empress Dowager's gesture.

"Young Protector, please reconsider!"

Dong Jie immediately lifted his head, eyes gleaming.

Lu Chen had now refused the edicts of both the Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager.

He had offended both sides!

Was he seeking death in the capital?

Did he truly believe a Grand Master's younger brother could protect him?

Dong Jie didn't linger—the situation hadn't yet reached its worst.

He hurriedly led his men back to report: the Western Factory was gone, a hand severed from the Grand Empress Dowager.

As he left, Dong Jie shot Lu Lu a venomous glance.

The two held equal status in their respective camps.

Let's see who will laugh last!

Lu Lu sighed and departed in haste.

You, Lu Yu, and the others walked out of the Western Factory toward the Imperial City Office—no one dared to stop you.

The Imperial City Office!

The only place that could reach the heavens, bypassing the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Justice.

Strike the heavenly drum—and your plea reaches the Emperor's ears directly.

The Jinwu Guard mobilized over ten thousand troops—their presence sent shockwaves through the capital's streets and alleys.

Crowds gathered, whispering, their faces filled with astonishment and curiosity.

Elderly residents of the capital shook their heads, sighing with worry: "The capital is about to change."

They recalled the past fifteen years of peace—and a nameless dread rose within them.

In taverns and teahouses, people gathered to speak of the Young Protector's crossing of the Yuetangjiang.

The Yuetangjiang incident had spread through the capital; rumors of the fish-belly letter and the heavenly stone tablet were vivid and widespread!

"Lu Chen has treasonous intentions!" someone whispered.

The topic of the Young Protector's arrival in the capital became the talk of the town—everyone speculated about his motives.

Meanwhile, the old northern affairs resurfaced; long-forgotten names returned to the lips of men.

Many citizens who had lived here fifteen years ago still remembered that night when the capital blazed as bright as day.

The poor of the capital said Lu Jiaxuan's Lord Lu and Lady Lu were good people.

But their voices were weak—no one listened.

Among the capital's elite youth, who saw themselves as "talents," opinions of Lu Chen were sharply divided.

They mocked him as a "rebel traitor"; accusations of treason grew louder among them.

Three men make a tiger!

Their hostility and resentment likely stemmed from family interests, political differences, or personal grudges.

The southern aristocratic families were numerous, most favoring peace and conciliation.

The two northern states had coexisted peacefully for fifteen years; countless scholars praised this as "a wise strategy for securing the realm."

The Lu family army, however, was vilified as an obstacle to this friendship.

Worse still, some spent vast sums spreading rumors in the streets: that Lu Chen intended rebellion.

The Censorate's memorials grew increasingly numerous, with more and more officials submitting petitions demanding Lu Chen's severe punishment.

Under the incitement of certain factions, this had become a popular public demand among the capital's people.

"Execute Lu Chen—to pacify the hearts of the realm!"

The capital arc is complete—the ten-year simulation ends in acceleration!

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(End of Chapter)