Late at night.

A convoy is slowly moving along the official road to the north of the Imperial Capital.

The convoy isn’t large, with seven or eight horse-drawn carriages, piled with burlap sacks and wooden boxes, resembling an ordinary merchant convoy that has traveled far. The drivers are all silent, even the horses seem to have their mouths shut, making no sound.

Only the sound of the wheels grinding against the official road is exceptionally clear in the silent night.

A stout driver sits on the lead carriage.

The driver’s physique is intimidatingly large, seated on the carriage shaft like a small mountain. The whip in his hand casually rests on his knee; he doesn’t lash it, yet the horse moves steadily on its own.

Because of this driver’s presence, it takes two horses to pull the carriage.

The convoy bypasses Changping County, turning west onto a side path.

The narrow path becomes increasingly confined, while the trees on either side grow denser. Towering pines and cypresses block the moonlight, pressing the road into dark and narrow confines. It’s unclear how long they’ve traveled when suddenly the trees retreat, and the view opens up.

Under the moonlight, a majestic stone archway stands across the end of the road.

Five-door, six-column, eleven-story, carved from Han Baiyu stone, standing three Zhang high. Dragon patterns are carved on the column bases, and auspicious clouds are engraved on the horizontal slabs; illuminated by the moonlight, it exudes a cold white glow.

Behind the archway lies a long Divine Dao, flanked by lions, Xiezhi, camels, elephants, Qilin, and horses, two pairs each, either standing or squatting. Further back are four figures each of martial ministers, civil servants, and meritorious officials, holding ritual batons with solemn faces.

At the end of the Divine Dao is a monument pavilion. Behind the monument pavilion lies the Ning Dynasty Imperial Mausoleum.

The convoy halts in front of the archway.

The stout driver turns back and whispers to the person inside the carriage: "Godfather, we’ve arrived."

The person inside the carriage slowly replies: "Wait a bit longer, we can’t enter yet."

The stout driver responds with a nod: "Do we have to wait until 1:00 PM?"

The person inside the carriage casually replies: "No need for that long."

The stout driver scratches his temples with thick fingers, without armor, the mountain bull loses its solemn dignity, and instead appears somewhat clumsy: "Will the Qi family follow the plan?"

The Prime Minister inside responds patiently to the mountain bull’s query: "Do you know why the Three Judicial Departments have been able to obstruct Your Majesty and my Ritual Supervision for so many years?"

The mountain bull thinks for a moment: "Because the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and the Imperial Inspection Office are all in the hands of the Qi family."

The Prime Minister leans against the car wall, gently lifts the curtain to look at the Divine Dao of the imperial mausoleum, with no end in sight: "Now, Your Majesty has used Chen Ji as a knife to tear open the Three Judicial Departments, allowing Chen Lizun to be placed as Left Imperial Censor. In the future, the Three Judicial Departments will no longer be the Qi family’s."

The mountain bull, puzzled: "But the Qi and Chen families have always been united, closely intertwined."

The Prime Minister chuckled: "Even fathers and sons cannot be wholeheartedly united; how can the Qi and Chen families be?"

The mountain bull suddenly realizes: "Is that why the Qi family dragged Chen Ji into the game, causing Chen Lizun to avoid suspicion due to his kinship? This is the Qi family’s last chance to hold sway over decisions? Even if the Qi family suspects you’re using them to get rid of Wu Xiu, they won’t miss this chance to establish their power... But why Wu Xiu?"

The Prime Minister smiled: "Because he is the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Secretariat. Whoever is the chief represents the Eunuch Party. Overthrowing the Eunuch Party is the longstanding wish of the nation’s literati. Although the Chief Eunuch who bullied them before was Xu Wenhe, now being able to bring down another Chief Eunuch suffices to make them jubilant."

The mountain bull scratched his head: "Is toppling us that important?"

The Prime Minister patiently explained: "Do you know that the founding martial achievements are destined to be replaced and suppressed by civil servants?"

The mountain bull thinks for a moment: "Because they’re not as clever as the literati?"

The Prime Minister chuckled and explained: "Because the opportunities for establishing martial achievements are few, while the Imperial Examination occurs every three years. Martial officials have to risk their lives for their positions, while civil servants continue to thrive endlessly. Bull, where does power come from? Power comes from people. You have aides and servants in Ji State to guard it for you; Ji State is yours, the orders others can’t enforce in Ji State, you can enforce them, that’s power."

The mountain bull responds with an "Oh": "Understood, but how does this relate to toppling our Eunuch Party?"

The Prime Minister chuckled: "There are only so many students with real talent in the world, and they are all vying for them. The more reputation and power one has, the more students under them. Once the Qi family overthrows the Eunuch Party, there will inevitably be passionate students from humble backgrounds joining their ranks. The Qi family is the bone, and the poor students are the blood, as long as the blood keeps flowing, the Qi family won’t fall easily."

The mountain bull steps off the carriage and waves to the back of the convoy.

Behind the convoy, Jin Zhu takes down a bag of water bladder, running to deliver it, the mountain bull takes the water bladder and sips, carefully savoring the taste of the water.

Jin Zhu looks at the mountain bull unhappily: "Could the water I brought be poisoned?"

The mountain bull glances at him: "Get lost."

Saying this, the mountain bull hands the water bladder into the carriage: "Godfather, have a drink."

The Prime Minister stands lost in thought, gazing into the depths of the imperial mausoleum: "I won’t drink, not thirsty."

Jin Zhu hesitated for a long time and cautiously asked, "Sir, will Chen Ji and West Wind survive this time?"

The Prime Minister sat inside the carriage and replied calmly, "I don’t know. Go make a fire and cook. We still need to wait at the foot of the mountain for a few more hours."

Jin Zhu responded with a sound and turned away.

Mountain Bull whispered beside the carriage, "What if they find out this was your doing?"

The Prime Minister lowered the carriage curtain, "Ah, Bull, in this world, everyone is half-blind, only seeing the world they want to see. They have a whole night to calculate and then realize that as long as they move forward, they can get what they want. Naturally, I will also get what I want."

Mountain Bull hesitated, "But today’s result might not be what His Majesty wants."

The Prime Minister slowly closed his eyes inside the carriage, "I have exerted myself for the court for decades, with just this small wish; His Majesty should show some empathy."

...

...

At 3:45 AM, the Ministry of Justice’s main hall was empty and pitch-black.

Qi Zhong sat under the "Bright Mirror Hanging High" plaque, closing his eyes to rest, while the Qi Family’s Death Soldiers looked inside from outside the hall. The moonlight only illuminated the steps, and Qi Zhong’s body was fully submerged in darkness.

In the darkness, only the sound of Qi Zhong’s fingers tapping on the official correspondence echoed inside the Ministry of Justice’s main hall.

A Qi Family Death Soldier hurried into the Ministry, stepped over the threshold, and knelt on one knee below the hall. He looked up toward the darkness where Qi Zhong was: "Sir, the old Imperial Censor has brought the coffin to the Imperial Palace Gate and is about to strike the Petitioning Drum."

As soon as he finished speaking, heavy drum sounds came from outside the Ministry’s main hall.

Qi Zhong opened his eyes, "Investigate further."

A moment later, another Death Soldier entered the Ministry’s main hall, "Sir, the censors have all gathered at the Imperial Palace Gate."

"Investigate further."

"The Imperial Palace Gate has opened!"

"Investigate further."

"His Majesty has issued an oral decree, summoning Chief Eunuch Wu Xiu of the Ritual Supervision to the Ministry of Justice’s main hall for trial."

Qi Zhong intoned in the darkness, "Speak clearly."

The reporting Qi Family Death Soldier recalled, "After the old Imperial Censor struck the Petitioning Drum, the Jiefan Guard Thousand Households’ Changxiu didn’t dare to act on his own, and ordered someone to report to Renshou Palace. Within the time of half an incense stick, the Imperial Palace Gate opened. A little eunuch came from the palace, delivering the decree: if Wu Xiu is guilty, punish him severely according to the law; if not, those who falsely accuse him will be executed with the family clan exterminated."

Qi Zhong sat behind the official correspondence and pondered for a long time, then waved his sleeve, "Go, bring Wu Xiu to the Ministry of Justice’s main hall."

After the Qi Family Death Soldier left, he closed his eyes, going over She Dengke, West Wind, and Chen Ji each in great detail.

Not until footsteps were heard outside the hall did he open his eyes again, watching as Wu Xiu entered, draped in a black Python Robe, stepping over the threshold and standing where half the early morning light fell.

Dawn was breaking.

Wu Xiu stood in the Ministry of Justice’s main hall, draped in a Python Robe, with hands behind his back, looking into the darkness of the hall, and took the initiative to speak: "I know someone who likes to sit in the dark, but he sits in the dark to see the outside light clearly, while you sit in the dark to avoid me seeing through your expression."

Qi Zhong remained unmoved, slowly speaking, "I have heard, those close to a True Dragon, after a long time, will also carry Dragon Energy. Today, upon seeing Lord Wu Xiu, I deeply believe it."

Wu Xiu replied indifferently, "I wield the Emperor’s precious seal, approving memorials, decrees, ordinances, mandates, enfeoffments, and military dispatches, being the Emperor’s close attendant. Until the Three Judicial Departments convict me, I represent His Majesty; how can I bow and scrape? But you, Zhong’er, as an adopted son of the Qi family, how dare you speak from the position of the Minister of the Ministry of Justice against me?"

Qi Zhong showed no surprise when Wu Xiu mentioned the nickname often used by Mr. Qi, remaining calmly seated behind the official correspondence, "Lord Wu Xiu entered the palace as a youth and experienced all the joys and sorrows of the world. Now you have just ascended, and the Poison Minister is plotting to hand a knife to my Qi family. You tell me, should my Qi family... use it or not?"

Wu Xiu raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Qi Zhong did not answer directly, "Lord Wu Xiu, the Three Judicial Departments are pivotal instruments to check the Inner Court, with the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and the Imperial Inspection Office sitting together. Except for immediate executions, they can decide directly. Precisely because of these Three Judicial Departments, the Ritual Supervision must act according to Daning Law and cannot act wantonly. If not, the Qi, Chen, Hu, Yang, and Xu Families would have long fallen."

Wu Xiu smiled, "The Ritual Supervision serves His Majesty, naturally acting according to laws."

Qi Zhong suddenly changed the topic, "According to Daning Law, if the Three Judicial Departments decide on beheading, deferred execution, or three thousand miles of exile, the official correspondences must be presented to the Inner Court for His Majesty’s approval. At that point, Lord Wu Xiu might have a chance to use the Emperor’s favor to overturn the verdict. But if today it is only sentenced that Lord Wu Xiu is to be exiled as a laborer, once the seals of the three ministries are affixed, you will have no chance to overturn it; you will be immediately sent to Chongli Pass to repair the Great Wall."

Wu Xiu suddenly sighed, "His Majesty has been constrained by the Three Judicial Departments for years. It was hard for him to use Marquis Wu Xiang to dismantle the Three Judicial Departments, placing Chen Lizun in the position of Left Imperial Censor, but the Qi family easily dragged Chen Ji into the scheme, prompting Chen Lizun to recuse due to personal involvement. In the end, the Three Judicial Departments remain the Qi’s Three Judicial Departments. Well played, Mr. Qi... What does the Grand Secretary want?"

Qi Zhong stood up, "A minor title like Marquis Wu Xiang isn’t worth a big conflict for my Qi family. As long as Lord Wu Xiu is willing to hand over the evidence of Zhang Zhuo’s years of selling official ranks, corruption and dereliction of duty, and the evidence of the Xu and Chen Families’ collusion with sea bandits to my Qi family, we can show leniency and give you a chance to overturn the verdict."

Wu Xiu sneered, "Mr. Qi aims for the Grand Secretary’s position yet only offers me a chance to overturn the verdict? If I hand it over, how do I stand? Have your master come to negotiate with me."

Qi Zhong was silent for a long time, "Take Lord Wu Xiu to the prison and conduct the trial at 5 to 7 AM."