Green Mountain-Chapter 709 - 565: Qi Family

The old imperial censor fainted, and chaos erupted outside the Imperial Palace Gate.

Changxiu exhaled a long breath of turbid air as he stood amidst the noisy commotion, looking indifferent and somewhat out of place among the panic-stricken crowd.

He ignored the frantic imperial censors, instead summoning a Jiefan Guard, and patiently instructed him: "Divide into two teams. One team to confiscate the Yuan Family in the Imperial Capital. Another team to gather troops at the Mengjin Camp in Henan Province and confiscate the Yuan Family in Ru Nan. Remember to bring all the eligible girls from Yuan Family back to the Imperial Capital, those are to be assigned to the Imperial Music Bureau. Lord Yuan is so fond of the Imperial Music Bureau, when he recalls his relatives in it while in Lingnan, I'm sure he will feel quite at home..."

At this point, Changxiu pointed out several officials in the crowd: "Look, Lord Li, Lord Xing, and Mr. Zhang were also drinking with Yuan Wang, since Mr. Chen started it, let's clean them up as well, confiscate their properties and exile them, the Inner Treasury urgently needs Silver."

The Jiefan Guards received their orders and rushed forward, capturing the ones Changxiu pointed out, scaring other officials into a hurried departure, leaving the fainted old imperial censor abandoned outside the Imperial Palace Gate, and in an instant, they were all gone without a trace.

Changxiu kept his hands inside his sleeves, standing alone before the Imperial Palace Gate, sighed deeply, and said: "Perhaps it would be better to read a few pages... Quickly, send the old man to the Imperial Hospital, we don't want him to actually die in front of the Imperial Palace Gate."

At this moment, outside Chengtian Gate, the clear voice of the ruffian at Meihua Ferry Crossing resonated: "Selling news! Imperial Censor Yang Zhong colluded with his father and brother to engage in graft, embezzle military pay, and privately sell military weapons, Marquis Wu Xiang dragged him to death in public!"

Changxiu's eyes lit up and he called a Jiefan Guard to come forward: "Go, buy a copy."

...

...

On Chang'an Street.

More than ten carriages and dozens of sedan chairs waited in front of Chengtian Gate, inside sat various officials including cabinet ministers and Assistant Ministers or doctors from the real power in each government office.

These people didn't join the commotion at the Imperial Palace Gate; they quietly waited here for the dust to settle... Stirring up trouble is only what clerks would do. If they joined, it would be too degrading.

Minister of the Ministry of Rites Feng Xi, after leaving the Imperial Palace Gate, came directly to a carriage, and said anxiously: "My Lord, save me!"

Yesterday Jin Zhu said to Chen Ji that those who could establish themselves in the Imperial Capital all came by stepping over dry bones, Yang Zhong's death could not scare them.

But Chen Ji didn't believe it; everyone has something they fear.

The Imperial Capital's officials armed themselves to the teeth with rules, the rules are their weapons, but nobody is unafraid of a reckless madman, because madmen don't follow rules.

Chen Ji's exchange of ninety imperial punishments for a madman's reputation finally scared the officials.

The carriage Feng Xi stood in front of was carved with seven white cranes, the white crane is the badge of a First-Grade Official, carving seven represents producing seven First-Grade Officials, only the Qi Family could sit in this carriage in Ning Dynasty.

No response came from inside the carriage for a long time.

Feng Xi gritted his teeth and said: "My Lord, over the years, I've run around for the Qi Family before..."

Inside the carriage, someone said indifferently: "Lord Feng, everyone draws a salary from the court, all working for the court, how did it become working for the Qi Family?"

As they spoke, someone lifted the carriage curtain, and Feng Xi quietly peeked inside, only to see Left Imperial Censor Qi Xianzun and Left Assistant Imperial Censor Qi Zhenwu inside glaring at him.

Feng Xi quickly lowered his head: "I misspoke."

Qi Zhenwu smiled and said: "Lord Feng, although Chen Ji is arrogant, he must act by rules. He killed those two because they didn't clean their behinds properly, if you keep your own stance proper, you don't need to fear him... Do you have some dirt no one knows about? If there is, you must tell me so I know how to help you."

Feng Xi hesitated for half a moment: "No, my Ministry of Rites is a quiet office, my sleeves are clean of any wrongdoing in usual days."

Qi Zhenwu slowly retracted his smile: "Then it's good, it seems Chen Ji cannot do anything to you."

Just as Feng Xi was about to say something, Qi Zhenwu had lowered the curtain: "Lord Feng, go about your business."

Feng Xi pondered repeatedly and finally gritted his teeth and left.

At this moment, the ruffian at Meihua Ferry Crossing passed by the carriage carrying a cloth bag, and Qi Xianzun inside the carriage gently lifted the curtain with two fingers: "Get a newspaper."

The ruffian eagerly took out a newspaper and handed it over, Qi Xianzun put down the curtain and opened the newspaper: "Hmm?"

The front page of today's morning paper was still full of praise for Emperor Ning, describing auspicious signs from all over, such as spring water gushing from a dry well in Langfang, or the capture of a white deer with cloud-like markings in Datong a few days ago, all highlighting Your Majesty's civil and military accomplishments and heaven-sent auspicious omens.

These things are not quite rare; the commoners might believe, but those riding carriages would not.

But the second edition is strange. The morning paper first talked about the proofs of the Yang family's crimes, then mentioned Marquis Wu Xiang capturing Yuan Wang at 5 to 7 AM today, detailing where Yuan Wang entertained guests during the national mourning period, what wine was drunk, and which official was invited as company.

Qi Xianzun furrowed his brows. Facing him, Qi Zhenwu asked in confusion, "Uncle, why are you suspicious?"

Qi Xianzun pointed at the newspaper, "Why is Yuan Wang's affair in the newspaper?"

Qi Zhenwu did not understand, "Such a major event in the Imperial Capital, this is the newspaper run by Chen Ji himself, so it's reasonable to appear in the paper."

Qi Xianzun spoke slowly, "Think carefully. To sell this newspaper this morning, the article must have been written last night, and then typeset by the craftsmen. This means he decided last night how to punish Yuan Wang—from where he would be taken, where to drag him to, the time of the day—all in perfect detail."

Qi Zhenwu came to his senses, "King Yan marking attendance."

Qi Xianzun folded the newspaper, neither happy nor angry, "Your grandfather quite liked him, privately said that if this child were born into our Qi family, it would be great. But he leans on both the Qi and Chen families, yet chooses to be the Emperor's dagger. Now he makes a big deal out of saving a girl inserted into the Imperial Music Bureau, what face does that leave for our Qi family? Our family's prestige is worth more than a hundred Princess Bai Li."

Qi Zhenwu leaned forward slightly, "Uncle, what do you plan?"

Qi Xianzun slowly closed his eyes, "Feng Xi accepted bribes from the Korea Envoy and lobbied our court to dispatch troops to Korea; we know this, and the Eunuch Party must know as well, but the witnesses and evidence are in our Qi family's hands… If Feng Xi doesn't speak the truth to us, he won't be one of us going forward. Keep an eye on him, and Chen Ji won't let him off."

Qi Zhenwu pondered, "But Chen Ji is currently heavily favored."

Qi Xianzun laughed, "Favored? In this vast Imperial Capital, among several families, who hasn't served as a dagger for him? But that Emperor can even abandon Prince Jing and the Empress, what else can't he abandon?"

He then looked at his nephew, "Choose a handy dagger, let him act arrogantly. When the officials are indignant, the writers pen criticisms, and the commoners curse him as a treacherous minister, kill this treacherous minister then, and the court remains a clear and bright court, and the Emperor is still the wise Emperor. Go, summon our Qi family officials to act, don't give him a chance to rise again."

"Yes," Qi Zhenwu exited the carriage, not knowing where he went.

...

...

Inside Honglu Temple.

Feng Xi locked the study room door from inside, hurriedly packing several critical documents and a small bag of gold leaves into an inconspicuous blue cloth bundle. He instructed the clerk next to him, "If anyone asks, say I went to Langfang on official business, and won't return before the Double Ninth Festival."

The clerk was surprised, "Sir, the Double Ninth Festival is still ten days away, are you avoiding for so long? You are a fifth-rank Junior Minister of Honglu Temple; even Marquis Wu Xiang may not dare to mess with you."

Feng Xi threw the document on the ground, angry, "That destiny-cursed one is already mad, what rules and rituals are there in his eyes? He dares to exchange life with imperial punishment—what else dares he not do? Killing me, he could just go and take those fifty lashes... He could withstand them, my life would be over!"

The clerk bent down to pick up the document, "Sir, you are of the Qi family; you can seek their protection."

Feng Xi sneered, "Qi family... Do you think Qi family is a life-saving Bodhisattva? Compared with the Qi family, what is Chen Ji?"

The clerk dared not respond.

Honglu Temple Junior Minister Feng Xi narrowed his eyes, "Even madmen have drawbacks. Nobody wants to befriend a madman to avoid being implicated and burned. Chen family has already severed ties with him; Qi family has been disgraced by him, even the Emperor won't employ an uncontrollable madman—allow him to go wild for a while; he won't last long."

The clerk agreed, "Sir, you are right… But aren't you going to Changping? Why say you're going to Langfang? Surely, he wouldn't pursue out of the city."

Feng Xi had already changed into a half-new grey cloth padded robe behind the screen, suddenly turning back, "What do you know? I have longstanding grievances with Chen Ji. When he first arrived in the Imperial Capital, I placed him at the end of the line; later when he returned with Princess Liyang from Changping, I prevented him from escorting the Yulin Army coffins through Anding Gate. He resented me then; now he's mad, how could he let me go? Must not let him know where I went."

This Feng Xi was the former temple minister of Honglu Temple outside Changping Post Station, now promoted to Junior Minister through the peace negotiations with Jing Dynasty.

Feng Xi opened the study room door, looked left and right. Seeing no one around, he stealthily made his way to the back door of Honglu Temple.

But upon opening the door, he saw two men standing at the back door.

Feng Xi's face changed, stepping back two paces, "Who are you?"

The two men cupped their fists and replied, "We are servants of the Qi family. Where is Lord Feng going? Can we escort Lord Feng?"

Feng Xi was scared into retreating, stumbling back into Honglu Temple's office, and rushed back to the study room, locking the door tightly.