Chapter 837

Li Wenying paused slightly, feigning indifference: "That doesn't prove anything—maybe it's just a coincidence?"

Zhang Ziwang: "The celestial signs have shifted; I feel uneasy."

Li Wenying fell silent.

Pan Yun lowered her gaze and pierced his hidden worry: "Brother, are you afraid the dragon vein points to Deng Maoqi?"

Zhang Ziwang said nothing.

Before this, he had never believed Deng Maoqi's rebellion could succeed.

The Great Ming has many flaws, and Your Majesty is not without faults, but it remains a powerful state, and Your Majesty is no fool—how could a new dragon vein appear?

But if it isn't new, how could this dragon vein have endured through dynasties without being discovered?

Especially since it lies so close to Long Hushan.

Yet, oddly enough, the very village where the dragon vein was discovered was the one that produced Deng Maoqi.

Pan Yun's lips curled slightly as she whispered: "What should we do? Report it to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"

Zhang Ziwang said nothing.

Li Wenying glanced at Pan Yun and asked: "Where's your cat?"

The three had just reached the town.

Pan Yun pointed to a curled-up bundle nearby: "There—it's been waiting for us."

Pan Yun walked over, picked up Pan Xiaohei, gently stroked its head, and carried it back.

The black cat was docile; neither Zhang Ziwang nor Li Wenying suspected a thing. The three returned to the village, picked up the students, and headed back to Long Hushan.

Returning was part of their training, so Zhang Ziwang urged them to use qigong to run. By the time they reached Long Hushan, only Pan Yun remained composed; the others stared blankly, mouths agape, gasping for breath, hair plastered to their faces, clothes soaked with sweat, utterly disheveled.

Zhang Ziwang was still unsatisfied and scolded: "You all slack off during daily cultivation, as if you're training for me instead of yourselves. It's barely a hundred miles—look at how you've run! How long did it take? Starting the day after tomorrow, everyone will train on the Repentance Cliff—ten jumps per day. Miss one, and you'll run twenty miles as punishment!"

The students groaned.

Only Pan Yun asked curiously: "Why the day after tomorrow?"

Zhang Ziwang's face was expressionless: "Tomorrow is the fifteenth of the seventh month. All third- and fourth-year students in the academy must descend to stand watch tonight until nightfall."

Everyone bowed their heads obediently and replied, "Yes."

Only then did Pan Yun remember—they were third-year students.

Zhang Ziwang gave them only half an hour to rest.

Everyone rushed back to their rooms to wash, change clothes, and head to the dining hall for dinner.

Pan Yun and her group often trained outside; when speed was needed, they moved swiftly.

After finishing everything, Pan Yun still had time to pick up Pan Xiaohei, channel yuan energy through her palm to nourish it, then place it inside Sister Hong Yan's formation, letting it lie beside Sister Hong Yan to cultivate.

At night, the moon hung high; moonlight slanted down through a pane of transparent glazed tile, falling directly upon the fox and the black cat…

One fox, one cat—their bellies rose and fell with each breath; moonlight flowed in and out with their breathing, nourishing their bodies.

Pan Yun's watch post was nearby; as her cultivation advanced, her gongde value increasingly resisted the spiritual realm's binding array, deepening her bond with the spiritual realm—and thus extending the distance over which she could sense Pan Xiaohei.

As long as she stayed within Long Hushan's boundaries tonight, she wouldn't disturb Pan Xiaohei.

Conveniently, her watch post lay in the graveyard just beyond Long Hushan.

It was said this place had once been a battlefield.

Many of their fellow students had been assigned to neighboring townships.

In truth, they needed do nothing but stand guard at night, keep the gates secure, ensure whatever emerged stayed orderly, and safely return them at the appointed time.

Everyone had learned tricks from their seniors: to get through the night smoothly, they should carry paper money and gold ingots on their persons.

? ￠o

Pan Yun led Seeing Miao Zhen and the others to town and entered a general store to buy large quantities of paper money.

The Shopkeeper, seeing them stuff a large basket with paper money, hurried to stop them: "Little Master, Little Master, your order's right here."

He pulled out four large sacks and unfastened them to show them.

Inside were bright yellow paper money, emitting the scent of incense; Pan Yun touched them, satisfied, paid, and left with the bags.

Seeing Miao Zhen sat cross-legged beside her, feeling the night air grow colder, and asked: "Why not let them know we were behind the Huang residence incident? The academy will cover for us—why blame Deng Maoqi?"

Pan Yun: "Something others fight over seems more valuable."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Will they send more people to kill Deng Maoqi?"

Pan Yun: "Are they sending fewer now? The imperial court still shows no intention to offer amnesty."

Since the matter might involve the Fujian rebels, Zhang Ziwang dared not conceal it; upon returning to the academy, he immediately reported it.

Simultaneously, the county magistrate arrested the Huang family and submitted the facts upward.

To the Grand Secretariat, the Huang family's affair was trivial; they merely replied: "Handle according to law."

According to law, the Huang patriarch bore no guilt.

The ironclad edict concerning dragon veins applies only to those registered in the Celestial Masters' Bureau.

What crime could the Huang patriarch have committed?

He was accused of plotting rebellion, yet he did nothing—merely entertained a thought, and was swindled out of some money by a Daoist Priest.

Legally speaking, one judges actions, not intentions; thus, after receiving the Grand Secretariat's reply, the county magistrate deliberated briefly and released the Huang family.

He did warn them not to oppress tenant farmers and to honor their signed contracts.

The Huang patriarch had thought his entire family was doomed; upon hearing they were free, he hastily agreed, and fled home with his family.

But soon, the wound healed and he forgot the pain; remembering the contracted rent, he regretted it deeply and sought to raise it by ten percent—just as he was stirring up trouble, the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in Jingcheng personally reported the matter.

To the Grand Secretariat, the dragon vein claim was baseless—well, perhaps not entirely baseless, but it absolutely could not be allowed to stand as truth.

Today, the Celestial Masters' Bureau could point to a house and claim a dragon vein beneath it, suggesting its occupants harbored rebellious intent;

Tomorrow, their own residences might be accused by Daoist Priests of hiding dragon veins…

This is an extremely dangerous matter, one they absolutely cannot allow.

So, they did not report it to the Emperor, but directly ordered the county magistrate to handle it according to law.

But the Imperial Astronomical Bureau did not think so. They firmly trusted the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion.

Moreover, the newly appointed Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was Wang Zhen's man.

"Your Majesty deeply despises Deng Maoqi, for the rebel has proven stubbornly resistant; several officials in court have already proposed amnesty. I see Your Majesty is not pleased—this is the perfect opportunity to report it, allowing Your Majesty to achieve his wish and relieve his worries." Wang Zhen instructed the Director to report this matter during the grand court assembly.

Thus, the landlord Huang, who had been forcing tenant farmers to raise rents, was arrested and thrown into prison again.

Master Huang was completely stunned.

The county magistrate, expressionless, proclaimed his crimes: "The criminal Huang Shijian conspired with the rebel Deng Maoqi to plot treason, aided Deng Maoqi in oppressing the countryside, and procured military grain for him…"

Huang Shijian widened his eyes: "Who? Me? I conspired with Deng Maoqi?"

He was Deng Maoqi's enemy!

The county magistrate recited his charges without expression, then immediately sentenced him to execution after the autumn harvest.

Master Huang wailed and cried out: "My lord, I am innocent! I have a feud with Deng Maoqi—every villager knows it! He was driven away by my own pressure! How could I possibly conspire with him?"

The county magistrate stared coldly at him, then after a moment said: "These charges were drafted by higher authorities. You claim you are not his accomplice—do you have witnesses?"

"Yes, yes! All the villagers can testify, and even Deng's family can testify—his son was driven away by me, they hate me; ask them, you'll see!"

The county magistrate: "I have questioned them. They all say you are Deng Maoqi's accomplice. The story that Deng Maoqi was driven away by you is merely a performance you two staged together."

Master Huang widened his eyes.

The county magistrate passed by him without expression, paused slightly, and looked down at him: "You had a chance to live. Deng Maoqi's rebellion—his parents and brothers remain unharmed, because the villagers testified on their behalf: Deng Maoqi was disobedient and unfilial, long ago expelled from the Deng clan, severed from his parents."

In an instant, Master Huang recalled the words of the white-haired, youthful Taoist from years past: had he kept his promise, treated his tenant farmers kindly, he could have avoided disaster…

Had he not forced rent increases these past months, but instead lowered rents and rewarded them upon his release from prison, would someone not have testified for him?

Master Huang was escorted to Jingcheng; his execution was already certain. But Deng Maoqi still stirred chaos in Fujian, and the Emperor felt a thorn in his throat.

He paced in fury, asking the Ministry of War: "Has Chen Mao not sent any military reports to the capital?"

"Your Majesty, after Chen Mao marched south, he fought Deng Maoqi's main force five times, winning four and losing one. If this continues, the rebellion will be quelled no later than winter."

The Emperor's heart burned with rage; he sneered: "A mere lowly peasant rebellion—yet the court has poured in one hundred fifty thousand troops! Are the soldiers of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi all good for nothing?"

Most of the troops sent to suppress the rebellion were drawn from these regions.

The Ministry of War bowed its head.

The Emperor had already received vague rumors; he narrowed his eyes and surveyed the officials: "Are the troops dispatched to Fujian truly one hundred fifty thousand, as recorded?"

The Ministry of War official lowered his head, hesitated, then said: "All regions have reported that they strictly followed Your Majesty's orders and mobilized one hundred fifty thousand troops."

The Emperor sneered repeatedly: "I hope so. I do not wish any further complications in suppressing this rebellion."

The Ministry of War officials grew uneasy, exchanged glances, then whispered: "Your Majesty, the Luchuan rebellion has flared again. The treasury and Ministry of War now face two major uprisings simultaneously—it is difficult. Why not adopt a conciliatory policy toward Deng Maoqi? Perhaps amnesty is better than military suppression."

The Emperor, hearing this, concluded they were hiding something; he snorted: "Last year you did not speak this way. Did you not swear solemnly that you would crush Deng Maoqi's rebellion, declaring that amnesty must never be granted, lest others follow suit?"

The Ministry of War officials admitted fault, saying they had not anticipated Deng Maoqi's stubbornness—that he could deceive so many commoners into joining his rebellion.

"The common people are foolish. Fujian is too distant from the capital, far from the Emperor's grace—thus they were misled by Deng Maoqi," the Ministry of War official argued they were excusable, deserving pardon, not total annihilation. "They are still Your Majesty's subjects. Why not show mercy? Offer Deng Maoqi an official post. If he remains unruly, he will surely commit another offense—then punish him by law."

The Emperor naturally refused.

Upon learning Deng Maoqi might be tied to the dragon vein, the Emperor no longer wished to see him, let alone let him grow stronger. Killing him was the best solution!

After the Ministry of War officials withdrew, the Emperor summoned the Embroidered Uniform Guard: "Investigate the garrison conditions in Fujian and Jiangnan: find out if there is corruption in troop rosters—whether the dispatched army truly numbers one hundred fifty thousand as recorded."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard bowed and withdrew.

The Emperor thought he was already burdened enough—yet something even more troubling came.

In just a few days, an incident occurred in the northern frontier.

The northern lands had just harvested their spring wheat when Esen dispatched four armies southward to raid; the court was stunned.

But it was not truly shocking—at least Yu Qian remained calm.

The Great Ming would inevitably clash with the northern barbarians; he had long known.

Since Ziren Sect ceased pursuing distant campaigns, and Emperor Xuanzong inherited this policy, warlords around the realm seized strategic openings: in the north, Oirat leader Toghon gradually unified the Mongol tribes; in the south, Li Li of Jiaozhi began seizing cities and lands; in the southwest, Luchuan stirred restlessly, probing; in the northwest, Toghon infiltrated; in the northeast, the Nuerkan garrison's discipline collapsed…

But this matter was concealed from below; not only the Emperor, but many civil and military officials in court were unaware.

The last time he went south, he had not merely distributed relief.

Because the disaster zone was vast, it involved military households and garrison registrations.

Though only a rough understanding, it was enough to shock Yu Qian.

In the wealthy Jiangnan region, many military farmlands had fallen into the hands of local garrison generals and powerful clans, not to mention the rampant corruption of ghost soldiers.

If Jiangnan was like this, how much worse elsewhere?

Yu Qian calculated it himself—and was horrified.

Thus, the northern barbarians would one day invade southward; he simply had not expected it so soon, so conveniently—just as Luchuan and Fujian tied down vast forces.

But it did not matter: the Great Ming still held great advantage. The garrisons at Datong and Xuanfu were seasoned veterans; more could be drawn from Jingcheng…

Yu Qian thought of the cannons the Ministry of War had developed over the past two years; he smiled, stepped forward to propose—when the Emperor suddenly spoke: "I shall lead the campaign in person!"

Yu Qian's smile vanished instantly; forgetting his strategy, he urgently objected: "Your Majesty, this cannot be!"

Many civil and military officials joined him in opposition; to lead the campaign in person? What nonsense.

If the young Emperor leads the campaign, who will command on the battlefield—the Emperor or the generals?

If they obey the Emperor, does he possess the military acumen or strategic vision?

If they obey the generals, who dares to defy the Emperor?

If the Emperor leads the campaign, even a tenfold advantage becomes a fivefold one—is this not playing with the soldiers' lives?

The young Emperor glared suspiciously at them, convinced that so many officials opposed him because they concealed some secret.

The Emperor said: "My father subdued the Five Barbarians through martial prowess; I wish to emulate him."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider. A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. The battlefield is dangerous—send a great general instead, and Your Majesty's renown will still spread far and wide."

The Emperor, however, had made up his mind: he would lead the campaign in person.

How could Wang Zhen refuse to help with something the young Emperor was determined to do?

Ever since the possibility of drifting apart from the young Emperor had arisen, Wang Zhen had become utterly compliant in every matter. If he wanted a star, he would absolutely not be given the moon;

and if the Emperor did not know whether he wanted a star or the moon, Wang Zhen would help him choose—making certain he said with his own lips that he preferred the star, and only then place the star in his hands. (End of chapter)