Huangming

Chapter 141 Tiqi star falls, Zhi crown is destroyed by frost

Rewind the clock to half an hour ago.

Jiexiu County Inn.

In the lobby.

Wang Chengen wore a python robe bestowed upon him by imperial decree, with an additional layer of soft armor underneath, and his expression was very serious.

Below him stood Qin Minping, Qi Jiguang's eldest son Qi Zuoguo, and a group of Imperial Guards.

Qin Minping led 1,000 Sichuan soldiers (White-Spear Soldiers) and Qi Zuoguo led 1,000 Zhejiang soldiers (Qi Family Army), who arrived in Jiexiu County yesterday.

They live by day and are active by night, relying on secrecy. They are now hiding in the Mianshan and Tianjunshan mountains, which are ten miles away from Jiexiu County. These two mountains stretch for hundreds of miles, with deep forests and valleys, steep cliffs, and only bird paths can pass through them. In the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, after the Oirat cavalry broke through Yanmen Pass, more than 10,000 people from Jiexiu fled into the Mianshan Mountains.

This is a place where troops can be hidden.

"Everyone!"

Once the troops are in place, the operation can begin!

Wang Chengen drew his sword from his waist with a clang, its cold light drawing a chilling arc in the dim candlelight.

He surveyed the room, his voice low yet each word firm and unyielding:
"Tonight is the night to close the net!"

He pointed his sword at the Jiexiu city defense map spread out on the table, and tapped his finger heavily on the location of "Jishan Hall" in the south of the city: "That old scoundrel Fan Yongdou faked his death and hid his corpse, bribed officials, and colluded with the enemy. He even dared to use his ashes to deceive the court! Not to mention his collusion with border generals, selling military equipment, and inciting popular uprisings. Every single one of these crimes deserves the extermination of nine generations of his family!"

The commander of the Imperial Guard stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, our men are already lying in ambush in the three streets and alleys south of the city. Archers have taken up high ground, and torches and signals are ready. We await your command!"

Wang Chengen sneered and suddenly smashed his teacup on the ground: "Those two idiots, Liu Zunxian and Wang Yunzhang, do they really think we're after their dirty silver? As officials of the Ming Dynasty, they've failed in their duties, colluding with merchants like snakes and rats. They're already courting death!"

Qi Zuoguo stroked the Qi Family Sword at his waist and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to Eunuch Wang, the Zhejiang soldiers have taken control of the four gates. If the White Lotus rebels dare to make any moves, this general will show them what the 'Mandarin Duck Formation' is all about!"

"Good!" Wang Chengen's sword suddenly turned, pointing at the flickering torches outside the inn. "General Qin, you take the White-Spear Soldiers and block the exit of the secret passage to Jishan Hall. Remember—" His eyes flashed with murderous intent, "Anyone who dares to resist, kill them without mercy!"

Qin Minping grinned maliciously as he unfurled the white-shafted spear wrapped in hemp rope: "Rest assured, Your Excellency, this humble general is an expert at dealing with all kinds of 'suicide squads'!"

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the distance.

Wang Chengen listened intently and heard shouts of "White Lotus Rebellion!" coming from outside the inn.

He scoffed, flicking the secret letter on the table with the tip of his sword: "That old dog Fan is really desperate! Is he trying to force me out of here sooner? But am I, Wang Chengen, the kind of coward who would stoop to such a low level?"

"Give the order!" Wang Chengen stepped onto the table, the glint of his sword illuminating his grim face.

"When the clapper sounds at midnight, it's a signal that the post station is on fire! The Embroidered Uniform Guard will arrest people, Zhejiang soldiers will quell the unrest, and Sichuan soldiers will raid the enemy's stronghold!"

He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Remember, you must take down Liu Zunxian, the prefect of Fenzhou, Wang Yunzhang, the magistrate of Jiexiu, and Fan Yongdou with lightning speed!"

"In addition, send a hundred men to block Zhangbi Valley to prevent anyone from escaping back to Fenzhou Prefecture and alerting the patrol and defense authorities."

The people in the hall all shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!"

The night wind whipped up snowflakes that pattered against the windowpanes, and Wang Chengen's python robe fluttered in the wind.

He gazed at the rising firelight in the south of the city and murmured to himself, "Your Majesty, tonight I will show this Shanxi officialdom what it means to be 'destroyed by iron'!"

Let's rewind to this moment.

Outside Jishan Hall, torches blazed like dragons, casting a crimson glow on the high brick walls.

Wang Chengen's python robe fluttered as he coldly swept his gaze over the tightly closed door, then raised his hand and said, "Break it open!"

With a roar, the Sichuan soldier slammed his white-handled spear into the door like a giant log. With a loud crack, the bolt broke and wood chips flew everywhere.

A gasp rang out in the courtyard. The Fan family's assassin had just raised his three-barreled gun when he was shot through the throat by crossbow bolts from the Zhejiang soldiers.

"Fan Yongdou!" Wang Chengen shouted, pointing his sword directly at the cellar.

During this time, Fan Yongdou was anything but honest while hiding in Jishantang.

They even dared to transport goods, which showed they didn't take Wang Chengen seriously at all.

Two days prior, Wang Chengen had already located Fan Yongdou's hiding place.

"You think this rat hole can hide you?!" Seeing that he could no longer hide, the cellar entrance was suddenly flung open, and Fan Yongdou rushed out surrounded by his assassins, his face contorted with rage: "You castrated dog! I'll fight you to the death!"

With a wave of his hand, twenty assassins fired their muskets simultaneously, filling the air with smoke.

However, Wang Chengen was prepared. The Sichuan soldiers' shield formation was erected with a clang, and the iron and wooden shields blocked all the lead bullets.

Qi Zuoguo roared, and the Zhejiang soldiers swung their chain hooks, grabbing the ankles of the assassins and pulling them down instantly.

Qin Minping wielded his white spear like a silver dragon emerging from the sea, piercing through the two guards beside Fan Yongdou!
Fan Yongdou staggered back in horror, only to be kicked over by Wang Chengen, who slapped him across the face with the scabbard: "You old thief! Is the urn of ashes ready?!"

Fan Sanba tried to escape through the secret passage, but ran into the Jinyiwei guards lying in ambush and was bound up with iron chains like a dumpling.

In a short while, the Fan family father and son were dragged out like dead dogs, and corpses littered the inside and outside of Jishan Hall. All the resisters were executed.

Shortly after Fan Yongdou and his son were captured, the Sichuan and Zhejiang soldiers who had been dispatched also captured Liu Zunxian and Wang Yunzhang, who were both terrified, and brought them to Jishantang.

Wang Chengen stood with his hands behind his back, coldly watching the four people kneeling on the ground.

Fan Yongdou was the first to fall to the ground, his forehead bruised and purple from kowtowing: "Father-in-law, please have mercy! I am willing to offer up all my family's wealth, just to ask that one bloodline of my Fan family be preserved!"

Liu Zunxian, his official hat askew and tears streaming down his face, grabbed Wang Chengen's robe and cried, "This humble official was foolish! It was all these merchants who bewitched me... no, I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"Pah!" Wang Chengen kicked him away and sneered, "Prefect Liu isn't cursing 'castrated dog' now? As the local official of Fenzhou Prefecture, you're acting against the natural order. Have you wasted all your time studying the classics?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yunchang's face turned deathly pale. Suddenly, he stiffened his neck and roared, "You spineless bastard! You only dare to act arrogantly in front of us because of the Emperor's favor. What are you anyway?"

Before he could finish speaking, he was slapped across the face by a member of the Imperial Guard, causing blood to splatter from his mouth and nose.

Knowing he had no way out, Fan Sanba spat and said to Fan Yongdou, "Father, we'll have to beg this eunuch. He won't let us go!"

After saying this, Fan Sanba glared fiercely at Wang Chengen and cursed, "You arrogant eunuch! The border soldiers will tear you to pieces sooner or later!"

Instead of getting angry, Wang Chengen laughed and ran his fingertips along the sword's edge, saying quietly, "Well said! After you've all experienced all eighteen sets of torture instruments in the Imperial Prison, let's see if you're still so tough."

He suddenly stopped smiling and shouted sternly, "Take them all away! Torture them severely, and we will not rest until we have produced two million taels of silver!"

Severe torture?
Liu Zunxian's heart trembled, and he hurriedly said, "I am a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the 38th year of the Wanli reign! I have been appointed by the imperial court as the prefect of Fenzhou, a fourth-rank official! How dare you insult me ​​with weapons?"

Wang Chengen pressed his foot into the back of Fan Yongdou's neck, and upon hearing this, he sneered and twisted his wrist, the scabbard slapping Liu Zunxian's knee. He cursed, "Prefect Liu, are you talking about the 'Great Ming Code' now? When you let your slave kill your tenant, why didn't you remember the legal procedures? When you accepted two thousand taels of ice money, why didn't you think about the proper conduct of an official?"

“That’s a false accusation!” Liu Zunxian staggered to his knees, then suddenly raised his head and revealed a ferocious smile.

"If Eunuch Wang insists on using torture, I will kill myself by crashing into the Imperial Edict stele in Jishan Hall! Let the whole world know how the Eastern Depot forced two upright officials to their deaths!"

Qi Zuoguo suddenly grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the blue brick, cursing, "Does this dog official even deserve to mention the imperial edict?"

Wang Chengen sneered and said, "So you can die knowing why. His Majesty has granted me the power to act expediently. With this Imperial Sword, I can execute officials of the third rank or below, and then report to the emperor! This is the power to execute first and report later!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zunxian completely collapsed, muttering, "It's over, it's over."

Wang Yunchang knew his sins were grave and he had no way out. His face was filled with resentment as he cursed:

"Don't think that capturing us is enough. In Shanxi's officialdom, officials protect each other. For this eunuch to dare to touch us is already a taboo. Hahaha~ In the end, who will die first is still unknown!"

"How dare you say anything more?"

Two agents from the Eastern Depot used iron rulers to slap Wang Yunchang's face. In just a few blows, they shattered all his teeth, leaving him a bloody mess and completely unable to speak.

"You still have the strength to speak now, but wait until you've been tortured and see if you still dare to be so arrogant!"

Wang Chengen didn't want to waste any more words.

He still has a lot to do tonight.

But he scoffed at what Wang Yunzhang said.

Is there collusion among officials in Shanxi's bureaucracy?

Under the wrath of the Emperor, would these officials really dare to rebel?

(End of this chapter)