Chapter 79

In the political structure of the Great Qing.

The Inspectorate, the Western Depot, and the Grand Court of Justice have both conflicts of power and a sense of mutual supervision between them.

The Inspectorate is responsible for monitoring all officials, ensuring the integrity and impartiality of the imperial court.

The Western Depot is an agency established by eunuchs, directly responsible to the Emperor, specializing in investigating hidden cases, and possesses the power of secret memorials.

The Grand Court of Justice handles reviews and oversees cases across the realm.

The three have conflicts of power!

Since the death of the previous Emperor, the authority and responsibilities of the Western Depot have gradually shifted into the hands of the Empress Dowager.

This woman who has long resided deep within the palace.

This Empress Dowager, a mysterious existence in the capital.

Back then, when Lu Chen and his two sons entered the capital, this Empress Dowager stepped out of the deep palace once.

To this day!

Fifteen years have passed, and she has never left the inner courtyard of the imperial palace.

Even though she lives in seclusion, her influence is omnipresent.

She not only holds part of the military power but also possesses the support of court factions, maintaining a certain degree of control over the current Son of Heaven.

However, what is strange is!

Although the Empress Dowager holds great power, she never involves herself in court politics.

Yet, no one in the court dares to slight her words.

After the Second Imperial Prince ascended the throne, although he attempted to establish the Eastern Depot to oppose the Western Depot and balance the Empress Dowager's power, he never succeeded.

The Eastern Depot's influence is far inferior to the Western Depot's, and for these years, the common people...

"Only know the Western Depot, not the Eastern Depot."

This is not only because of the Empress Dowager's deep-rooted power, but also because of the existence of a 'Nine-Thousand-Year-Old' in the palace.

The Nine-Thousand-Year-Old—Chen Sanzhong!

Ma Bao's master, a man now a hundred years old, the personal eunuch of the current Empress Dowager.

His other identity is that of one of the four Grandmasters of the Great Qing.

His status is incomparably revered, and he is even respectfully called 'Old Ancestor' by the crowd of eunuchs and inner attendants.

At this moment!

The capital, where the Western Depot is located.

Established south of the capital, this area is mostly inhabited by people of the 'middle nine classes,' occupying over eight hundred mu of land.

The main gate is built grandly, not inferior to the Capital Prefecture Office.

A figure walks over slowly!

This is an old man dressed in simple clothing, of medium build, with a clean-shaven face, and the hair of a crane with the complexion of a child.

His eyes are quite kind.

A jeweled jade belt is tied around his waist, the patterns on it are complex and exquisite, fully displaying its preciousness.

However!

In this bustling capital, few people cast much of a glance at this.

Since the two countries of Northern Wind made peace, under the mediation of the former Northern Wind Eldest Princess, the relationship between the two countries has reached unprecedented harmony.

Many capital residents refer to the two countries as 'brothers.'

The two countries have opened markets at the border, exchanging resources, allowing Northern Wind's specialties to be smoothly transported to the capital for sale.

Carriages fully loaded with jade arrive in an endless stream from the north, camel caravans from the desert move slowly forward, and Northern Wind women wearing veils have also walked into the gates of the Great Qing capital.

Adding a unique color to this bustling metropolis.

The capital is prosperous, the best in the world.

With the massive influx of Northern Wind jade, these jades, once regarded as treasures, have gradually become common in the capital's markets, and their value has correspondingly decreased.

Nowadays, one can easily purchase these once-sought-after jades for just one-tenth of the price of the past.

In the bustling capital, such a jade belt has become an ordinary object, unworthy of people's attention.

The capital, full of noble people!

Throw a brick, and you'll hit imperial relatives who can trace their lineage back three generations.

The old man walks leisurely along the street, carrying hot steamed buns wrapped in oilcloth paper in his hand.

The buns in the oil paper sway, hot oil leaking out, full of fragrance.

Walking to the gate of the Imperial Prison, the guards see it is a familiar old man and do not stop him.

The old man also works at the Western Depot.

His position as a clerk mainly includes checking the birth dates and monthly salaries of the palace concubines, and reconciling accounts with the Ministry of Rites every month.

Although this is a task that seems leisurely, the requirements are extremely high, and not the slightest error is allowed.

Because once a mistake is made, those concubines in the palace will whisper in the Emperor's ear,

Lightly, one will receive severe punishment; heavily, one might lose their life. Over the years, there have been no few people in this position who lost their lives due to small mistakes, which also makes many eunuchs feel fearful of this position.

The Western Depot decided to recruit personnel from the outside to fill this position.

Unexpectedly!

This old eunuch, said to be from the previous dynasty, 'volunteered,' and he has worked for fifteen years without a single mistake.

Quite miraculous!

The Western Depot also calls him Old Chen.

Perhaps because he is on the early shift and didn't sleep well!

Two guards are yawning, looking at the fragrant big meat buns wrapped in oilcloth paper in the old man's hand.

They are not polite either.

They take one casually.

Taking a bite into their mouths.

One word: fragrant, their faces full of enjoyment.

"Old Chen, so early today?" one of the guards asks with a smile.

The old man answers happily: "Isn't it because Seal-Holder Ma has returned, so I came to take a look."

The two guards chat while eating the buns.

"Old Chen, it's not that I'm saying, considering you haven't given us brothers little tribute, I'll give you a hint today."

"Although this Seal-Holder Ma is in power now and has some airs in the Western Depot, do you know that the Emperor died right in front of him back then? That is a great crime for a servant."

"He has long been suspected by the Emperor; if things go wrong, he might 'retire to his hometown' in these few years."

"Don't waste your efforts flattering him; when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."

After hearing this, the old man still answers happily: "I know what I'm doing, Old Man."

The guard on the left wants to take the remaining buns again, but is stopped by the old man.

Four of the six buns were eaten by the two people in an instant.

Only two left!

The old man protects the remaining two buns and says with a smile: "Leave one for Seal-Holder Ma, and the other is for this old man."

The guard on the right takes the opportunity to grab one of the buns into his hand.

"Leave one for the Seal-Holder, you don't need it, Old Chen."

The old man looks at the one remaining bun in his hand helplessly and sighs.

"This isn't kind!"

The guard who didn't get a bun is unwilling and complains:

"If it weren't for Seal-Holder Ma being the Old Ancestor's disciple, he would have been kicked out of the Western Depot long ago."

"Besides, this Old Ancestor is already over a hundred and twenty years old; I'm afraid he doesn't have long to live."

The guard on the side hears this and quickly interrupts: "Don't talk nonsense, these are words that will cost you your head."

The guard quickly apologizes and pretends to slap himself:

"Old Ancestor, boundless longevity, look at my mouth."

He looks at the old man fiercely again and says: "Old Chen, don't talk nonsense, don't listen to what you shouldn't, otherwise we brothers won't be polite to you."

The old man named Old Chen quickly says: "Didn't hear, didn't hear anything."

The two guards then urge:

"Hurry up and go in."

The Western Depot is designed like a deep palace courtyard.

Divided into inner and outer courtyards, the front for handling business, the back for interrogation.

Also divided into upper and lower levels, the bottom is a dungeon for holding prisoners.

The layout is quite winding, with few windows, no sunlight, and those unfamiliar will mostly get lost.

The old man, not knowing when, has already crossed the outer courtyard, without anyone noticing.

Entering that strict inner courtyard.

Pushing open a room in the inner courtyard.

There are already three people inside.

Ma Bao, this Seal-Holder eunuch who just returned from Mount Zhongnan, bows respectfully as soon as he sees the old man:

"Greetings, Master."

The old man nods faintly and hands the buns in his hand to Ma Bao.

"Things were handled well, eat while it's hot."

"As for those little eunuchs who went to Mount Zhongnan this time, don't keep any of them."

Ma Bao naturally knows what he means; although unwilling, he nods helplessly.

In the Western Depot, the Master is heaven.

The old man is exactly that Nine-Thousand-Year-Old, Chen Sanzhong.

Besides Ma Bao and Chen Sanzhong, there are two other people in the room.

One is an old monk with a kind face, and the other is a middle-aged man who never smiles.

Their gazes are all focused on Chen Sanzhong, waiting for what he will say next.

Chen Sanzhong speaks slowly:

"The Empress Dowager invited the two of you here this time to kill one person."

After hearing this, the old monk frowns slightly and asks in a hoarse voice: "Killing one person to save the world, I wonder if it is good or evil?"

The middle-aged man appears more direct and indifferent; he says in a flat voice:

"I just need you to give me what you promised."

Chen Sanzhong nods.

He continues:

"That Junior Guardian is already on his way."

"This Lu family Young Marshal Lu Yu is also a Grandmaster."

The middle-aged man speaks faintly:

"Being able to die under the hands of three Grandmasters, he can already be proud."

The old monk and the middle-aged man are exactly.

Jiang Xiaoyue, who built a hut on Pingniu Ridge, known as the 'World's Number One Palm.'

And the Foolish Monk of Lingxi Temple.

(End of chapter)