Huangming

Chapter 265 Ordered to Arrest and Question, Heaven's Wrath is Unquenchable

The vermilion gate of the western annex of Chaotian Palace was tightly closed, and the copper bells on the eaves trembled slightly in the wind, exuding a sense of solemnity.

This seemingly quiet courtyard was the place where the court arranged for Zhang Xianyong to rest after he was summoned to the capital.

Lu Jianxing, dressed in the uniform of a centurion of the Imperial Guard, was on horseback. His boots had just touched the bluestone slabs when he was about to dismount. Suddenly, a series of rapid hoofbeats sounded behind him, making a "clattering" sound on the ground.

He turned around and his brows immediately furrowed.

The two who arrived were Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan, followed by seven or eight Imperial Guards, each with a brocade spring knife at their waist and a solemn expression, clearly not ordinary entourage.

"What are you doing here?"

Lu Jianxing's voice carried a hint of impatience, but even more so, a hidden worry.

He had just been appointed a centurion, and the task he was assigned to this time was fraught with danger. He had intended to come alone, but unexpectedly, he was caught up by his two sworn brothers.

Shen Lian reined in his horse, landed on his back, and said with a hint of anger, "Brother Lu, what a ridiculous question you ask! The three of us swore an oath of brotherhood, promising to share both good and bad fortune. Now that there's good fortune, you might not remember to share the spoils, but when faced with danger like this, you want to shoulder it all by yourself? Do you really think that Yi Chuan and I are cowards who are greedy for life and forget righteousness for profit?"

Jin Yichuan nodded emphatically, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and replied in a deep voice, "Brother, even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire, I'll go with you. We'll all die eventually anyway, so what's there to be afraid of!"

Lu Jianxing looked at the stubbornness in the eyes of the two men, and then glanced at the group of guards standing solemnly behind him.

These people were all trusted brothers of Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan, and they had obviously made ample preparations.

He felt both angry and touched, and finally sighed helplessly, raising his hand to wipe his face: "Fine, since you're here, then follow me."

Having said that, he turned around, pushed open the heavy vermilion door, and said in a deep voice, "Come in with me to take the person!"

bang bang bang~
Before Lu Jianxing could even step forward, Jin Yichuan, who was standing beside him, couldn't hold back any longer and strode forward, continuing to slap his palms like fans.

"Squeak~"

The courtyard gate slowly opened a crack, and a Taoist priest in a green robe peeked out. Upon seeing the armored and sword-wielding crowd outside, he frowned slightly: "Amitabha, you laymen knocked on the door so urgently. May I ask what brings you here?"

Before he could finish speaking, Jin Yichuan grew impatient. With a swift movement of his thick arm, he shoved the Taoist priest backward, causing him to stumble. At the same time, he kicked open the courtyard gate with a loud bang and shouted sharply:
"The Imperial Guards are conducting an investigation! All irrelevant personnel, get out of the way!"

The Taoist priest was pushed and slammed against a doorpost. When he saw the flying fish robe and embroidered spring knife at the waist of the newcomer, his face turned pale. But he suddenly raised his voice and shouted, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard is here!"

This shout was like a signal, and a series of hurried footsteps immediately echoed in the courtyard.

Thirty-six men dressed in apricot-yellow Taoist robes filed out, each with a seven-star sword at their waist and cloud-patterned boots on their feet. In an instant, they lined up in three rows in the courtyard, their hands on their sword hilts, their eyes like hawks, all staring intently at the entrance, exuding a chilling aura.

They were actually Dharma protectors from Longhu Mountain.

The leader took half a step forward, his sword-like eyebrows raised: "Insolence! This is where Zhang Tianshi resides. How dare you, the Imperial Guards, trespass? Are you trying to desecrate this sacred place of the Xuanmen?"

Lu Jianxing slowly entered, his flying fish robe gleaming coldly in the sunlight. His gaze swept over the Taoist priests lined up in the courtyard, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "The imperial residence? I, a centurion, am here on imperial orders to arrest people. I don't care what kind of celestial masters or earth masters you are!"

He stepped forward, his voice suddenly turning stern.

"Do you intend to stop me? You must know this is Beijing. To defy the orders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is to defy the Emperor's orders, and to defy the Emperor's orders is to rebel! Do you intend to rebel?"

A single sentence carries weight, like a boulder thrown into calm water.

The Taoist priests immediately hesitated.

Upon seeing this, Lu Jianxing's lips curled slightly.

To deal with these Taoists who rely on their sects, it's far more effective to first label them with the serious charge of "treason" than to engage in verbal disputes.

"Go back!"

A clear, resonant voice, carrying an undeniable air of authority, echoed from within the courtyard.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw two people slowly walking out from behind the moon gate, both dressed in Taoist robes.

The leader appeared to be middle-aged, but his forehead was already covered in white hair. His hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and he had an air of otherworldly elegance between his brows. He was none other than Zhang Xianyong, the 51st Celestial Master of the Zhengyi Daoist Longhu Sect.

Beside him stood a young Taoist priest, fair-skinned and beardless, but with a hint of arrogance in his eyes; this was his son, Zhang Yingjing.

"Tianshi, this..."

The disciple who had previously angrily rebuked the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to argue, but Zhang Xianyong gave him a cold glance, and he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Go back."

Zhang Xianyong's voice was not loud, but it carried a calmness that remained unchanged even if a mountain collapsed in front of him.

Although the thirty-six disciples were unwilling, they all sheathed their swords, bowed and took a few steps back, but still stood in a circle around them, keeping their eyes fixed on Lu Jianxing and the others, not daring to relax for a moment.

Zhang Xianyong then turned to Lu Jianxing, his gaze falling on the embroidered spring knife at his waist, and said calmly, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrived. What business do you have here?"

Lu Jianxing stepped forward, took out a scroll with a bright yellow cover from his pocket, unfolded it with a "whoosh", and threw a stack of paper evidence he was carrying on the stone steps in front of Zhang Xianyong. The papers were scattered all over the ground, and they were copies of correspondence and account books.

"By order of His Majesty, we have discovered that the Celestial Master's Mansion is suspected of multiple crimes, including forming cliques for personal gain, embezzling incense taxes, colluding with salt merchants, and seizing land."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Yingjing, his words clear and distinct.

"Zhang Yingjing, please come with me back to the imperial prison for questioning!"

Upon hearing the words "imperial prison," Zhang Yingjing's face instantly flushed red, and his previous composure vanished.

How could he not know how dangerous that place was?
Of those who go in, perhaps only one in ten will come out unscathed, let alone someone accused of such a crime!

The young Taoist priest suddenly stepped forward, pointed at Lu Jianxing, and shouted angrily: "Nonsense! Our Celestial Master's Mansion has been loyal and virtuous for generations, how could such a despicable thing happen? Father, you must not agree to him! This is clearly a frame-up!"

Zhang Xianyong's brows furrowed into a deep frown, and much of his usual air of otherworldly wisdom vanished.

"I have always maintained an upright character, but I do not know when or which powerful person I have offended that would dare to target my son?"

Lu Jianxing cursed inwardly: How the hell should I know which deity you've offended?
“This centurion is only following orders to arrest people. If the Celestial Master has any doubts, he may go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to explain. Once there, he will naturally know whose eyes he has offended.”

After saying that, he suddenly raised his hand and waved it.

Two Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Yingjing's arm with their iron-like hands.

"Father, save me!"

Zhang Yingjing had never suffered such humiliation before. He turned pale with fright and struggled to cry out to Zhang Xianyong.

"Wait a minute!"

Zhang Xianyong suddenly raised his hand and shouted to stop him, his voice trembling slightly.

He looked at his restrained son, then at Lu Jianxing, and slowly said, "If this matter is truly related, then I should bear the responsibility. Whether it is disobeying the imperial decree or embezzling for personal gain, it is all my fault. Why should my son take the blame? If you want to arrest someone, then arrest me."

As soon as he finished speaking, his mind was completely clear.

I submitted my petition to the Emperor for three consecutive days, but it was all ignored. Later, I asked someone to pull strings and spent a full 10,000 taels of silver to smooth things over, but the result was still "His Majesty is busy with many matters and will not see guests at the moment".

He should have realized then that ordinary powerful figures would never dare to manipulate the Celestial Master's Mansion like this, that the only person in the world who could make him lose ten thousand taels of silver and prevent him from even stepping into the palace gates was the one on the dragon throne.

only……

What could he do to quell His Majesty's thunderous rage?

Should he abandon his cultivation or offer up all the treasures in his mansion?

Or...

"Heavenly Master."

Lu Jianxing's voice interrupted his thoughts, his tone cold and hard as iron.

"I'll say it again: I was only ordered to arrest people, and I know nothing else. If you have any grievances or questions, you can go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard office to speak."

As he spoke, he actually stepped forward himself.

While Zhang Yingjing was still struggling and crying out, Lu Jianxing's eyes flashed with a sharp look, and he flicked his wrist, striking the young Taoist priest hard on the back of the neck with the heel of his palm.

"Uh!"

Zhang Yingjing groaned, his body went limp, and he immediately fainted.

Lu Jianxing gestured to his men: "Drag them away."

Two guards immediately grabbed the unconscious Zhang Yingjing and dragged him out like a dead dog.

Seeing this, the thirty-six protectors behind Zhang Xianyong were all furious, their knuckles turning white as they gripped their sword hilts. If they hadn't been holding back, they probably would have already drawn their swords.

"Let him take it away." Zhang Xianyong slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were like a deep pool.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, and stared intently at Lu Jianxing, saying each word clearly, "This Celestial Master... will personally go and find out the truth."

His tone was neither joyful nor angry, but rather carried a sense of impending doom.

When Lu Jianxing met his gaze, he felt that the eyes were like an ancient well filled with ice, unfathomable.

His face remained gloomy, his lips pressed into a straight line. Without a word, he turned around, led his men to escort Zhang Yingjing, and strode out of the courtyard.

As soon as Lu Jianxing and his group left the villa, Zhang Xianyong turned around and instructed his disciples: "Guard the mansion well. Unless there is an urgent matter, no one is allowed to touch anything in the mansion."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took the Taoist robe hanging under the corridor and put it on. Without even having time to tidy up his hat, he quickly left the courtyard and headed straight for the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) office.

This matter is suspicious and must involve a wide range of people. He must go and find out the truth for himself.

Even if the road ahead is fraught with danger, there is no reason to let my son suffer humiliation for no reason.

The wind swept through the streets and alleys, carrying dust as Zhang Xianyong kept walking. Before long, the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) yamen, with its vermilion gate and bronze lions guarding the house, came into view.

The captain at the gate, seeing him dressed in a Taoist robe, did not stop him. Instead, he led him inside, his attitude unusually respectful.

After passing through two ceremonial gates and stepping into the spacious hall, Zhang Xianyong paused slightly.

Two people were already seated in the hall at that moment.

The man at the head of the table wore a python robe and a jade belt. He had a slight smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

A middle-aged man sat beside him, wearing a flying fish robe embroidered with gold thread, a sword hanging at his waist, and a solemn expression.

When he entered, neither of them got up; they merely glanced at him indifferently.

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Zhang Xianyong cupped his hands and asked, "This humble Taoist is Zhang Xianyong. May I ask how you two gentlemen are addressed?"

"Wang Tiqian".

"Luo Sigong".

Wang Tiqian and Luo Sigong?

These two names resounded in Zhang Xianyong's ears like thunder.

He was jolted, and his heart sank.

One was a powerful eunuch who controlled the Western Depot and held immense influence in the inner palace; the other was the commander-in-chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who controlled spies throughout the land.

These two men are the emperor's most trusted henchmen. They usually perform their own duties and rarely discuss matters together. Today, however, they are both waiting in the main hall of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which means they have come specifically for him.

The last bit of luck he had felt earlier vanished completely, and Zhang Xianyong felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

His guess ultimately came true.

This matter was not caused by any powerful figures; it was clearly the will of the one on the dragon throne.

"So it's the Eunuch and Commander Luo! I've long admired your names!"

Zhang Xianyong bowed and was about to say a few more polite words to ease the atmosphere when he saw that Wang Tiqian already looked impatient.

“Master Zhang, there’s no need for such formalities. Let me ask you, over the years, the Celestial Master’s Mansion has been illegally setting up a court of punishment on Longhu Mountain, seizing fertile land, and colluding with local officials to embezzle incense taxes… What crime should you be charged with for all of these offenses?”

Zhang Xianyong's expression hardened, and he said loudly, "Your Excellency is mistaken! These are all baseless accusations! My Zhang family has guarded Longhu Mountain for generations, and all the incense taxes we collect have been handed over in accordance with the law. How can there be any talk of embezzlement?"

"Oh? You won't admit it?"

Wang Tiqian's lips curled into a sinister smile as he slowly said, "It's alright. I won't argue with you. The methods in the imperial prison are numerous: nail pulling, branding with hot irons, pouring lead water... there are plenty of ways to make people confess the truth. Your son Zhang Yingjing is delicate and tender; he probably won't last three sessions. He will naturally confess to all these crimes."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Zhang Xianyong's head.

He clenched his fist tightly.

If my son really confessed under torture in the prison, those fabricated "evidence" along with his confession would become irrefutable proof. At that time, not only would my son not be saved, but the entire Celestial Master's Mansion would be uprooted!
"What exactly do you want?" Zhang Xianyong's voice trembled with suppressed emotion, but he finally relented.

Seeing him back down, Wang Tiqian's fierce expression softened. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "I won't lie to you. I've heard that the Zhang family has lived in Longhu Mountain for generations. Their fields stretch as far as the eye can see, their granaries are piled high with millet, and they have thousands of servants. This family fortune is the best in the entire Jiangxi province."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming businesslike: "The fighting is fierce on the Liaodong front, and Tianjin is rebuilding its navy. The court is currently short of money, food, warhorses, and ships. The value of your son's life depends on how much of your family's wealth you are willing to contribute to fill this hole."

Zhang Xianyong's heart sank.

This is not about 'exchanging his son's life'; it is clearly the price he paid for disobeying the imperial decree and angering the emperor!

The emperor intended to use the Celestial Master's Mansion's wealth to punish him for "disobeying imperial orders."

only……

How much wealth accumulated by Longhu Mountain over hundreds of years would it take to appease that person's wrath?
Looking into Wang Tiqian's unfathomable eyes, he felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

After pondering for a long time, Zhang Xianyong finally spoke.

"The Celestial Master's Mansion has long lost its former glory and is now very poor... If we really want to raise money, we'll probably have to sell some of the land passed down from our ancestors and desperately scrape together 100,000 taels of silver. Any more... we simply can't do it."

His eyelids trembled slightly as he said this.

Ten thousand taels of silver wouldn't be a significant loss for the Celestial Master's Mansion; it was merely a way to probe the other party's capabilities.

"One hundred thousand taels?"

Wang Tiqian seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and the smile on his lips vanished instantly.

"Is Master Zhang treating us like three-year-olds? Or does he think your son's life is only worth 100,000 taels of silver?"

"In my opinion, there's no need to talk anymore. Let Zhang Yingjing 'sober up' in the imperial prison and experience the taste of the branding iron!"

"Wait a minute!"

Zhang Xianyong's heart tightened, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and said, "Two hundred thousand taels! I'll give you two hundred thousand taels by exhausting all the savings of the Celestial Master's Mansion!"

"not enough!"

Wang Tiqian's voice was resolute and left no room for negotiation.

"Three hundred thousand taels!"

Zhang Xianyong's voice trembled, and his chest heaved violently, clearly indicating that he had reached his limit.

"Still not enough."

Wang Tiqian slowly picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and didn't even lift his eyelids.

Zhang Xianyong became extremely anxious. He stepped forward abruptly, his sleeves fluttering, and said, “Your Majesty needs warhorses, warships, and grain. I can find a way to get them! There are plenty of grain merchants and boatmen in Jiangxi. I can mediate and raise funds for the court! I want to see Your Majesty and explain this matter to you in person!”

Upon hearing this, Wang Tiqian finally looked up, a meaningful smile slowly spreading across his old face.

"If you had said so earlier, wouldn't it have saved you a lot of trouble?"

He stretched out his fingers and slowly counted.

"With 400,000 taels of silver, plus more than ten Fujian ships, more than a thousand warhorses, and more than 300,000 shi of grain, I can guarantee that the imperial prison will not torture Zhang Yingjing for the time being."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Zhang Xianyong like a hook: "As for seeing His Majesty? That depends on whether Master Zhang is truly capable of gathering all these things together. How His Majesty's anger will be appeased depends entirely on whether your 'sincerity' is sufficient."

He spoke those last few words very softly, yet they struck Zhang Xianyong's heart like a heavy hammer.

Now Zhang Xianyong finally understood why his ministers were all afraid of the emperor's anger.

To quell the emperor's anger, the Celestial Master's Mansion would have to be completely emptied.

Zhang Xianyong cried: How dare I disobey the imperial decree and not come to the capital to pay homage to His Majesty?

I regret it now, is there any way to undo it?
PS:

10,000 words updated.

Great needless to say.

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(End of this chapter)