Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 363 Trouble Begins with Xiao Qiang
Empress Dowager Chengqing had a kind and gentle face.

"Good children, you're all good kids... don't be so formal."

A chorus of laughter and agreement erupted around him.

Everyone secretly observed the King of Wei, wondering how he would please the Empress Dowager.

Unexpectedly, Li Yan suddenly knelt on one knee, took a deep breath, and as if he had made a decision, his voice suddenly rose a few decibels, becoming very impassioned.

"Your unworthy grandson is still recovering from a leg injury and has been unable to prepare any rare treasures. However, I am deeply grateful for the kindness of my grandmother and cannot rest easy day and night. Although I have difficulty moving around, I have diligently practiced a sword dance and wish to perform it today to celebrate my grandmother's birthday, firstly to demonstrate the loyalty and bravery of the sons of Liang, and secondly to express my filial piety!"

"Get up quickly." The Empress Dowager smiled kindly and gestured for the eunuch to help him up, her tone full of concern.

"You silly child, your leg injury hasn't healed yet, why are you doing all this? It's the thought that counts."

Li Yan's eyes flickered slightly: "In ancient times, there were loyal ministers and filial sons who cut off pieces of their own flesh to feed their parents, their filial piety moving heaven and earth. Your grandson is unworthy and dares not compare with the sincerity of the sages, but I wish to use this sword dance to bring blessings and longevity to my imperial grandmother..."

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

Who doesn't know that the King of Wei's leg injury has not yet healed?
To wield a sword at this moment would be to invite humiliation upon oneself.

Prince Duan, Li Huan, frowned slightly, and Xue Yuechen glanced at her husband with concern.

Emperor Chongzhao sat upright on his throne, his face expressionless, and lightly tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his finger. Empress Xie subconsciously touched her lower abdomen and looked at Li Zhao.

A faint smile curved Li Zhao's lips as he picked up his wine glass and slowly sipped it.

The sounds of string and bamboo instruments drifted from faint to rapid...

It turned into a somber, metallic sound.

The eunuch presented a simple, ancient longsword.

The scabbard was dark and plain, without much decoration.

Li Yan took the sword; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

He took a deep breath, and with a flick of his thumb, he parried the sword. With a clang, a flash of cold light appeared.

The sword's blade is like a pool of autumn water, its luster reflecting light like a mirror.

"What a fine sword!" the white-haired old man in the room exclaimed, then leaned forward to examine it closely with a puzzled look. "The shape of this sword... seems somewhat familiar?"

Li Yan acted as if he hadn't heard anything.

He suppressed the dull pain in his legs and focused his mind on his longsword, while his gaze drifted almost imperceptibly to the sandalwood screen presented by Crown Prince Zhao...

Before the birthday banquet, Ping Le told him that there was a curse or curse hidden in the hidden compartment of the screen presented by Crown Prince Li Zhao, which was intended to frame the Crown Prince for plotting to harm the emperor and his relatives...

If he were to smash that screen open in public, he would surely ruin Li Zhao's reputation and condemn him to eternal damnation...

I just sent someone to tell you that you should not hesitate.

Success hinges on this moment.

The sword's momentum begins!
The sword's momentum fell...

His movements were not elaborate or fancy, and even a little stiff due to his leg injury, but Empress Dowager Chengqing nodded frequently, full of pity and admiration.

The music inside the hall echoed the swordplay, sometimes deep and muffled like thunder, sometimes rousing like war drums...

Li Yan channeled all his strength into his arms, the sword wind whistling, causing his clothes to flutter.

Suddenly, with a spinning back thrust, he clenched his teeth, flicked his wrist, and the sword tip, with a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air, stabbed fiercely at the sandalwood screen standing in the hall…

"Chi la——"

A teeth-grinding cracking sound pierced the music.

The thick plain silk on the screen, along with the wooden frame inside, was cleaved open by this sword, leaving a gap more than two feet long...

Splintered wood flew everywhere.

"Ah!" Several concubines gasped in surprise, their faces pale.

"The Prince of Wei?" The Empress Dowager was so startled that her jewelry trembled.

Li Yan sheathed his sword and leaned on the ground, panting heavily. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face was even paler from the pain and exertion.

"Grandmother, please forgive me! Your grandson... your grandson made a mistake..."

Destroying birthday gifts at a birthday banquet is a great misfortune and a great disrespect!

Empress Dowager Chengqing's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but she couldn't bring herself to be harsh with her.

"Alright, your legs aren't very strong, so it's understandable that you might miss your target. Go and rest for now..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Yan suddenly stared at the crack, his eyes filled with shock and anger.

"Grandmother, there's something hidden in the folding screen..."

All eyes were focused on the grotesque crack.

A suffocating, deathly silence.

Li Yan glanced at Li Zhao, then slowly approached, looking at the torn seam. "What...what is that? It looks like a tiny golden figure...Your Highness, did you present this screen to us to hide some shady business?"

The whole hall was in an uproar.

The air seemed to freeze.

Emperor Chongzhao suddenly coughed, his face turning red.

Empress Xie quickly got up and offered the emperor a handkerchief and warm water, but the emperor gently pushed her away.

Empress Dowager Chengqing's face darkened completely, her tone filled with offended anger and suspicion.

"Your Highness, the birthday gift you presented to me contained a hidden compartment? What was inside?"

"Grandmother, please calm your anger." Li Zhao calmly rose and walked into the hall to pay his respects.

"This grandson presents this gift only to please the Empress Dowager and pray for blessings and good fortune... I dare not be selfish or disrespectful."

"Hmph!" Empress Dowager Chengqing said sternly, "Fuquan..."

At the Empress Dowager's signal, Fuquan stepped forward tremblingly, reached into the crack with trembling hands, and pulled hard.

"Wow--"

The tear was torn even wider.

Everyone held their breath, but the imagined filth or curse did not appear. Only… a dazzling golden-red hue.

What Fuquan pulled out was a large, complete brocade woven with red gold thread.

On the brocade were eight imposing embroidered characters.

"May your benevolent light shine upon all, and may our mountains and rivers remain forever secure."

The calligraphy was bold and vigorous, and the gold thread shone brightly under the candlelight of the hall.

The little figure that Li Yan mentioned was actually a kind-faced Bodhisattva statue.

"May your benevolent light shine upon all, and may our land be forever secure?" Emperor Chongzhao murmured, his tense expression easing slightly, even revealing a rare hint of satisfaction and appreciation.

"The Crown Prince's idea is indeed ingenious."

The tense atmosphere inside the hall immediately eased.

The imperial family, nobles, and officials, as if waking from a dream, burst into heartfelt praise and laughter of agreement.

"Wonderful! Great!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince's filial piety is truly moving!"

Li Yan leaned on his sword, still panting, his heart sinking lower and lower.

wrong.

This is not right—

Ping Le had gone to great lengths to plan this, and he had practiced the sword dance for so long while injured. How could he possibly hide eight words of praise in the hidden layer to make Li Zhao look good?

An ominous premonition gripped him.

"May our mountains and rivers remain forever... What a wonderful phrase, 'May our mountains and rivers remain forever.'"

Old Zongzheng's excited voice rang out again, drowning out the noise in the hall.

He was one of the few remaining elders of the imperial clan, with extremely high seniority and prestige. At this moment, his hair and beard stood on end, his old eyes wide open, staring intently at the cold, gleaming longsword in Li Yan's hand, his expression strange.

"Your Highness, what is the origin of this sword?"

Li Yan looked down at his sword.

"It's just an ordinary ancient sword, its origin is unknown."

"May I have a look?"

“If my great-uncle wants to see this, I dare not refuse.” Li Yan bowed, sheathed his sword, and presented it with both hands.

Old Zongzheng took the longsword and examined it carefully.

"Your Majesty..." he suddenly spoke, his voice sharp and distorted, his fingers trembling as he looked at Emperor Chongzhao on the dragon throne, "This is Dingjiang, it's the Dingjiang Sword..."

"boom--!"

The entire Cixi Palace was in an uproar.

It was a hundred times more shocking than the sound of the screen shattering!
Dingjiang Sword?
It is the sword of General Xiao Chong, the Grand General Who Protects the Nation...

Xiao Chong had been dead for thirty years.

This sword should lie in the mass grave of the Old Mausoleum Swamp, along with its master...

Li Yan dug out the dead man's belongings and displayed them at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
What does he want to do?
Emperor Chongzhao's expression froze instantly.

"Send it up!"

Li Yan was ashen-faced.

Time seems to freeze at this moment.

Everyone held their breath, afraid to make a sound.

Wang Chengxi personally stepped forward, carefully picked up the long sword, held it on a piece of bright yellow silk, and quickly presented it to the emperor.

Emperor Chongzhao held his breath.

The two ancient seal characters on the sword guard, "定疆" (Dingjiang), are powerful and vigorous, penetrating the metal.

And inside the scabbard, there was an extremely hidden personal emblem belonging solely to Xiao Chong…

Thirty years have passed, yet it remains as clear as yesterday.

So familiar, yet so terrifying.

Emperor Chongzhao swayed slightly and turned to Li Yan with a stern voice.

"You wicked creature, where did this sword come from?"

A series of horrified gazes fell on Li Yan's face.

The bloody massacre at the Old Mausoleum Swamp, the tragic scar that the royal family had deliberately kept hidden and unwilling to uncover, was torn open again by this "Sword of Pacification" that suddenly appeared in the world.

The sword's chilling aura, seemingly bearing the menacing marks of years of blood and rust, coldly surveyed everyone in the hall...

Li Yan felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his blood seemed to freeze.

"Father..."

"Your Majesty!"

"This sword...this sword was purchased by your son from an antique dealer in the west of the city...for a hefty sum...I knew nothing about the Dingjiang Sword or Xiao Chong..."

He prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing desperately.

"Father, please understand! Your son is innocent!"

"Antique dealer?" Li Zhao, who had been silently observing, finally spoke again.

“Quite a coincidence.” He bowed slightly to Emperor Chongzhao. “Father, I have recently been thoroughly investigating the flow of forbidden drugs into the palace, and I have also stumbled upon an antique dealer surnamed Qiu…”

　Li Zhao: I'm investigating my wife...

　　Xue Sui: He's escaped; you won't be able to find him.

　　(End of this chapter)