Chapter 72: Command Over Four Circuits

Zhao Ti said: "Your Majesty, Wang Wen Gong only has a grandson by inheritance."

Wang Wen Gong is Wang Anshi, with two sons and two daughters. His eldest son Wang Pang was repeatedly promoted to Assistant Academician of the Dragon Diagram Pavilion, and at thirty-three in the ninth year of Xining, he died young from illness. His second son Wang Fang, under too much pressure from his father and elder brother, developed a mad disease, frightened his own son to death with a blade, and soon died as well.

His eldest daughter married Wu Anchi, an Awaiting Appointment of the Celestial Chapter Pavilion, and his second daughter married Cai Bian.

Zhao Xu said: "A grandson by inheritance is fine, as long as the family line continues. Convey my regards, to show the court has not forgotten the Wang family."

Zhao Ti thought to himself: "It's fine if nothing is seen, but if one sees a clansman breaking the law and disgracing Wang Wen Gong's reputation, how should it be handled?"

Zhao Ti was briefly startled, then smiled and said: "The Prince of Yan may handle it as he sees fit."

The next day at court, Zhao Xu issued a decree, appointing Zhao Ti as the Pacification Commissioner of the four circuits—Jiang Nan East Circuit, Jiang Nan West Circuit, Zhedong Circuit, and Zhexi Circuit—to tour and inspect Jiang Nan, departing three days later.

The Pacification Commissioner was a temporary post during wartime or after a major event, commanding all military, political, and civil affairs of the assigned circuits, with extremely great authority.

Zhao Ti returned to the Wang Fu to prepare. At this time the Ming Cult had started a disturbance, which was indeed detrimental to the New Laws. The old faction in court would seize the chance to make trouble with words. Zhao Xu had the Wu De Si's Red Dragon Guard traveling the world, well-informed, and must have sensed something amiss with the Ming Cult before developing thoughts of surveillance or extermination.

Now Yang Yang Yun Chong was still under house arrest at Golden Wind Tower, and the white-haired, white-browed old man had been transferred to the heavy prison of the Foot Soldiers Bureau. Toward evening he went to the tower and had someone bring Yang Yang Yun Chong before him for interrogation.

Yang Yang Yun Chong, looking utterly lost, was escorted over by Hou San and Zhu Si. Upon seeing Zhao Ti he dropped to his knees with a thud.

Zhao Ti said calmly: "Thought it through?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong's feelings were complicated. He hadn't yet made up his mind, but for some reason had already knelt.

He secretly thought that his Wu Gong was now completely lost, making him a cripple. Even if he returned to the cult he wouldn't be valued, yet he didn't want to die. Besides, that old man Bai Mei had already defected—if he could defect, why couldn't he? The other party was a royal prince of the court. If he defected… perhaps there really would be wealth and honor to enjoy.

"Guilty one, the guilty one has seen the light." Yang Yang Yun Chong kowtowed and said: "The guilty one is willing to defect to Your Highness, it's just that this commoner has lost his Wu Gong now and doesn't know what use he could be."

Zhao Ti said: "Those Ghost Fanlou fellows were clumsy, what do they know about abolishing Wu Gong? As long as you do your work well, there's no reason you can't recover!"

"Recover?" Yang Yang Yun Chong was stunned. Since the other party was a royal prince, he might really have some means to restore Wu Gong. A flush of fervor immediately appeared on his face: "Your Highness, as long as I can recover my power, have the guilty one do anything."

Hou San beside him sneered: "Is your Wu Gong that impressive? So eager to recover it?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong hurriedly said: "Can't say how impressive, but having some Wu Gong would let me serve Your Highness better."

Zhao Ti said: "This king asks you—what is the name of that white-haired, white-browed old man, and what is his status within the Ming Cult?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong was dumbfounded: "Doesn't Your Highness already know?"

"Young Master tells you to speak, so speak—what nonsense is this!" Zhu Si shouted from the side.

"He's called Yin Muzhang, the White Rainbow Sword, a Lay Practitioner of the cult." Yang Yang Yun Chong was suspicious at heart, secretly wondering if the other party suspected Yin Muzhang had spoken falsely and wanted him to verify? Yes, yes, to be a hound one can't have it so easy. Since ancient times there's the saying that serving the emperor is like keeping company with a tiger; serving a prince should be about the same.

"Yin Muzhang, a Lay Practitioner…" Zhao Ti nodded. The Ming Cult's power was great, and this trip south of the river he couldn't afford to grope about blindly. Recruiting a few people familiar with the cult's affairs to lead the way would save a lot of trouble.

"Who is that little girl?"

"Little girl? Your Highness, what little girl?" Yang Yang Yun Chong said in confusion.

"The one who was with Yin Muzhang before, roughly this appearance…" Zhao Ti gave a brief description.

Yang Yang Yun Chong shook his head: "Your Highness, the guilty one has no impression, doesn't know which one Your Highness means."

Hou San said: "Since you've defected, don't hold things back—it does you no good at all."

Yang Yang Yun Chong frowned tightly to think again, and after a long while said: "Your Highness, there are quite a few women in the cult, and unlike Yin Muzhang with his white hair and white brows they're not easy to identify. I truly don't know who Your Highness is talking about."

Zhao Ti drew from his bosom the portrait drawn at the Prince of Duan's residence and tossed it forward: "Recognize it?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong took it and examined it carefully for several breaths, then still shook his head: "Your Highness, I've never seen this face, and this style of dress doesn't exist within the cult either."

Zhao Ti said: "Didn't you come to Dongjing looking for her?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong said: "The cult wants to establish a branch altar in Dongjing, so they sent several routes to scout. My route wasn't connecting with this woman. The cult's assignments are detailed—each route acts independently. Once there's a lead, word is sent back to the cult, and then a Dharma King is dispatched to take overall command."

"Who were you connecting with?" Zhao Ti frowned, not expecting the Ming Cult to operate with such meticulous secrecy.

"The guilty one wasn't lying before. The contact lives in Pixie Alley, surname Chen, given name Bandao, and has lived in Dongjing for a long time."

"Then only Yin Muzhang would recognize the woman in the portrait?"

"Your Majesty said the two were once together, I'm afraid that's the case." Yang Yang Yun Chong said cautiously.

"Good. Since that's so, come with this king to the heavy prison and try to persuade Yin Muzhang." Zhao Ti said.

"Ah?" Yang Yang Yun Chong was startled by the words. Hadn't the other party already defected? Why would persuasion still be needed?

"Young hero Yang, let's go!" Hou San said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Zhu Si threw an arm around his shoulder: "Brother Yang, what are you spacing out for? From now on working for Young Master, you ought to give it your all."

Yang Yang Yun Chong clenched his teeth. Since he had already defected, thinking of other things was useless. Whatever they told him to do, he'd just do it.

Leaving the Wang Fu, they headed straight for the Foot Soldiers Capital Command Bureau. The Imperial Guard Bureau had a heavy prison outside the city, but since it had no Capital Commander, it had long been abandoned. The Foot Soldiers Bureau and the Horse Soldiers Bureau had each built their own prisons.

Arriving at the prison, it was dim. The entire cell held only Yin Muzhang, with more than ten jailers guarding him alone.

At this moment his face was blue-white, his expression in unbearable agony. For days he had been tormented by the Illusory Yin true qi, unable to live and unable to die.

This was still Zhao Ti using the lightest hand, employing only a thread of internal force—otherwise it would have been even worse.

Seeing visitors beyond the bars, he immediately widened his eyes, but no sound could come from his mouth. His meridians and acupoints had been invaded by the Illusory Yin true qi, stiff and beyond his control.

Hou San took the key from the head jailer, opened the cell door, and the group walked in.

Yin Muzhang's gaze first looked toward Zhao Ti, then fell on Yang Yang Yun Chong.

Yang Yang Yun Chong saw him bound to a wooden pillar, looking weak and furious, and immediately felt a twinge of guilt and hurriedly lowered his head.

Zhao Ti reached out and struck Yin Muzhang's Tianchi acupoint. The thread of cold true qi within the other's body seemed drawn by a magnet and immediately came flowing over.

This thread of true qi was much weaker than before, but not yet completely worn down. Now that Zhao Ti had drawn it away, Yin Muzhang let out a long breath.

Zhu Si brought over a chair, and Zhao Ti returned to the cell door and sat down: "Young hero Yang, try persuading him."

Yang Yang Yun Chong raised his head to look at Yin Muzhang and forced out a smile: "Lay Practitioner Yin, it's been a while."

Yin Muzhang glared at him, his throat making "wuwu" sounds, and only after a long while managed to speak: "Why betray the cult?"

Yang Yang Yun Chong took a deep breath: "Lay Practitioner Yin, there's an old saying—those who understand the times are the true heroes…"

"Bah!" Yin Muzhang opened his mouth and spat out a spray of bloody foam, splattering Yang Yang Yun Chong's face.

Yang Yang Yun Chong wiped it with his sleeve and, steeling himself, continued: "Lay Practitioner Yin, the ancients said that once you've mastered civil and martial arts, you sell them to the emperor's house. The apricot blossoms on Feather Mountain have bloomed—doesn't the Lay Practitioner want to go back and see? Once you defect to His Highness, you can immediately regain your freedom, with wealth and honor within easy grasp. Why cling to the Ming Cult rabble?"

Yin Muzhang's eyes bulged in fury: "I'll kill you, traitorous dog!" He strained his body forward, chains rattling loudly, which so frightened Yang Yang Yun Chong that he hastily stepped back.

Zhao Ti saw this and shook his head; it wasn't that Yang Yang Yun Chong lacked eloquence, but that this Yin Muzhang truly had not the slightest thought of submitting.

He said coolly, "Cripple his Wu Gong. Whatever means Ghost Fanlou used to cripple yours, use the same on him."

Yang Yang Yun Chong knew this was a pledge of allegiance, something he could not dodge, and said softly, "Yes, Your Highness…"

The next day, Zhao Ti had just finished breakfast when Zhou Dong hurried over: "Your Majesty, a letter from Dali has arrived here at my place."