Tie Zheng only managed to catch up to Yun Yang’s warhorse at the next bend, but there was already no one riding it.
"Crap!" Tie Zheng shuddered. "Could it have been a spy?"
This person would have caused a great disaster if the people they had mercilessly executed were the wrong targets.
Not only would Tie Zheng be the scapegoat, he would rightfully deserve the punishment that was bound to be meted out.
However, as it turned out, the hapless people who had been killed were all guilty, deserving of their terrible fate.
These people were the culprits, the very source of this issue!
Tie Zheng was bewildered and confused. What was going on?
He scratched his head in confusion – no matter how he looked at it, he could make neither head nor tail of the situation.
Tie Zheng returned to the base camp in a puzzled state only to find Wang Ziqi gazing around in confusion at the camp’s entrance. "Marshal, where did all of you go and what did you all do? Why isn’t anybody in the camp?"
"Who are you trying to fool?" Tie Zheng hopped off his horse and grabbed the horrified man to trash him within an inch of his life.
After that, he hollered out his order, "Tie the rascal up!"
Wang Ziqi’s face was swollen and his nose bled profusely as he called out incessantly, "What’s going on? What’s going on?"
The trashing was totally uncalled for!
When Marshal Tie had gleaned the entire story from Wang Ziqi and connected it to what he knew, he finally understood the situation. However, he was astounded, unable to give voice to the exasperation he felt.
There was no way he was going to report this.
Someone managed to disguise himself as your assistant general right under your nose. This is the biggest joke. If it were to happen on the battlefield, do you know what consequences could have come out of it? The entire troop could’ve been wiped out!
Even though he killed the correct people, there is no way you can explain yourself if he had slipped up and executed just one innocent bystander.
How could you be such a fool?
Tie Zheng could imagine the condemnation he would suffer if he reported what had happened today, so he could only keep quiet and pretend nothing had happened.
He was curious though – who was the person who had pretended to be the assistant general? How could have executed the killings with such precision? It could not be Old Marshal Qiu, could it?
"That assistant general of yours is not bad! Not bad at all!"
Old Marshal Qiu was full of high praise when he saw Tie Zheng passing the general medallion. "Clean and direct, efficient with his methods; he reminds me of this old man’s style back in the day… Not bad, not bad, he should be commended and rewarded well."
Tie Zheng's face was draped in irritation.
"So, you know how to be ashamed as well? You said you’re going so you went but what nonsense were you spewing before? Take them right away and be done with them! You went and asked them what crime should they be penalized under? Can you win by reasoning with these intellectuals? If you can wave the saber around, the less nonsense we'll face. The saber is our way!"
After complimenting Wang Ziqi, the old marshal chastised Tie Zheng by pointing at his nose, "If it weren’t for Wang Ziqi, who decisively executed his intentions, you would probably have been pushed into their roundabout pit! Look at you… I shouldn’t be scolding you since your wedding is near but have you f*cking grown a pig’s brain?! How blind must your wife be, for you to have been able to catch her?"
Tie Zheng went back to his camp with a sour disposition; his exasperation brimmed as he brought the commendation dictum and promotion decree of Assistant General Wang Ziqi back.
"Me?" Wang Ziqi pointed at his nose that was almost broken from being beaten up, incredibly surprised. "Commend me? I’ve been promoted? Why? I – I… When have I contributed anything of merit?"
Looking at his comrades who wore envy and awe on their faces, Wang Ziqi was indeed muddled. "Marshal… I…"
Tie Zheng roared. "Shut the f*ck up! Do you feel guilty that you've been f*cking promoted? Are you taking your undeserved gain for granted now? Left and right, charge!"
Pow, pow, pow.
Wang Ziqi had been knocked out, replaced, commended, then walloped again – the bizarre series of incidents felt like a dream, befuddling the poor man.
As for the culprit, the mastermind, the perpetrator, Yun Yang, he was delighted and happy!
The exhilarating slaughter today came up to two hundred casualties. This was secondary though, what made Yun Yang so joyful was the active state Emmie was in now. It was obvious that it had gotten the air of injustice it needed, and the injection today was exceptionally strong!
Yun Yang had thought that despite the scholars having ill intentions and making the wrong decisions, they did not really lose their minds and wished to harm the Empire of Yutang. By the look of things now, these scholars had become sinners by definition; the air of injustice Emmie had gathered was the proof and could not be denied!
"These people that were wreaking havoc knew that the Shangguan Family of Generals is the real hero. They knew the truth but they’ve still chosen to do so. This can only stem from ill intentions."
"Their movements have triggered the military and the sense of justice among most citizens, that’s probably why there’s so much air of injustice this time round…" Yun Yang thought.
"The more they should be damned to death!"
"They know right from wrong, black from white, but they’ve still mixed them up in order to achieve their goal. Who else should die if not them?"
Yun Yang snorted. "If ever I see one of these people in the future, I'd definitely strike them down immediately. No time for nonsense!"
They could even twist history; these people who spewed self-righteous claims would only cause more harm the more knowledge they gained.
Yun Yang had not held back at all in this slaughter and he would only become more aggressively if there were similar cases in future.
Of course, Supreme Cloud could never step out to handle this personally. He had borrowed somebody’s hands and given him a large boon in the process– this was the reward of borrowing the person’s identity, a thank-you gift for temporary replacing him!
Assistant General Wang Ziqi, who was very lucky to have contributed merit in the confusion and gotten a trashing before becoming the culprit, was not exactly an innocent scapegoat. Even if Yun Yang had not done what he did, Wang Ziqi had to go for the mission as well; the end would have been the same.
It was on the same day before the civil officials could form their retaliation, lambasting the peremptory ways of the military side and criticizing the decaying of the nation if their ways were not severely punished that His Majesty the emperor’s royal decree descended unto the world.
"Intellectuals challenge the law with their civil ways while warriors violate the bans with their martial ways. Yutang’s scholars have muddled black and white, overturned right and wrong, twisted the truth of history; they have forgotten about justice and loyalty, overwriting the kind and patriotic with their self-righteous proclamations, putting the traitor of treason on a pedestal. How are they different from a treacherous official?"
"The Shangguan Family of Generals has been devotedly patriotic, the rivers and mountains of Yutang are witnesses to its faithful souls of vibrant blood. The entirety of the Shangguan Family sacrificed themselves to serve the nation. They have perished for the empire; the once massive family has suffered so many casualties that only widowed wives and orphaned children remain today yet their patriotism does not waver. The faithful and lion-hearted officials who have given their all to the nation are being accused and condemned to become treacherous officials – where is the justice in this? Where is the conscience in this? It has only been a hundred and fifty years, the loyal officials’ bodies are still warm. Their souls have not wandered far, but they have to take this vile accusation of muddled truth; how can they possibly rest in peace?"
"The thousands of scholars are well educated, they should know the difference between right and wrong – to share the nation’s woe and to spread the name of kind loyalists. They have, instead, for their personal gains, stirred this vile movement to instigate the resentment of the people, to disappoint the souls of faith and hurt the lion-hearted… This crime is intolerable in this majestic land! These criminals must be killed to quell the grudge of people, they must be executed to pacify the faithful souls."
"From today onwards, nine familial exterminations shall be executed unto anyone who speaks of similar claims! Yutang’s scholars should be aware and use this incident as a reminder! Faithful souls of vibrant blood are to leave their names in history, are to be praised for generations; they are never to be condemned by outlaws."
The emperor’s royal decree was exceptionally harsh. It was as if His Majesty’s stern face and infuriated expression could be seen from the decree, his soaring rage was almost palpable.
With the announcement of the decree, the crisis was quashed at once.
The emperor had ordered a further investigation as well, the order rendering all the scholars in Tiantang City who were involved to be doomed.
"Those who have died deserved their deaths, their families are to be punished as well; those who survived will be recorded in the official dossier, never to be appointed officials for the rest of their lives!"
The most uncorrupted officials would still earn hundreds of thousands of silver taels; plenty of people had studied hard and even acquired their reputation through various channels just so they could score the highest degree in imperial examinations and be accepted into the bureaucracy.
Once the order of call to account was given, it was just like a tree trunk had fallen across these people’s path to bureaucracy!
Moans and cries of agony echoed instantly.
The action taken by the emperor was steadfast and resolute, he was quick to resolve the mess – proclaiming a royal decree right after a slaughter. The mastermind’s men were all killed; even if he had wanted to wreak more havoc, he had no means to. He could only sigh helplessly against the current situation.
There was no chance to overturn the situation nor was there room for retaliation.
About a ninth of the disposable men had been killed while the remaining were filled with grudges from their halted path to bureaucracy, there was simply no one to be utilized. What use was there to make a fuss in the imperial court?
Besides, His Majesty was angry right now, even his eyes were blazing with fury. If someone simply hopped out to create chaos, he would probably be exterminated without question.
Therefore, the civil officials had chanted "Your Majesty is incisive" wisely and let the matter go.
There was another decree given alongside the one to hold perpetrators accountable, it was the emperor’s comfort towards Shangguan Family of Generals. Both old marshals from the military had gone out personally to send gifts of consolation to the Shangguan’s residence with gongs and drums; the impetus was loud, creating a buzz in the city.
Countless people who had been roused by the rumors immediately regretted their actions, sobbing and apologizing at the doors of the Shangguan Family while kneeling down; they were tearful and sincere, remorse exuding from their entire being.
After days of being extremely wronged, Shangguan Family had finally welcomed a sunny day.
If seen from the sky, there was a sea of black of heads from the people on their knees before the Shangguan’s residence doors.
"I have thrown rotten eggs... I am deserving of death!"
"It’s all the scholars’ fault, spewing nonsense like that. I actually believed them… I deserve death as well!"
"I loathe myself, I can’t read a single word yet I followed the crowd like an idiot. I truly deserve death."
"I beg the forgiveness of the family of generals…"
"I plead for the forgiveness of the family of generals, this lowly one has been an utter fool!"
However, not a single member of the Shangguan Family came out to accept the apologies; they did not show signs of concern either. There was only the butler who had come out to say, "There are only women and young children in the residence. It is an inconvenience to come out for a greeting. We ask that all of you clear off soon and apologize for the lack of hospitability."
These were the words passed, nothing else was said.
Yet the indifference and the bitter disappointment within the words engulfed everyone’s heart.
The crowd was clueless of what to do, they felt something amiss but they could not put a finger on it; subsequently, they lingered in front of the Shangguan doors.
Some people were angry – it was just a simple misunderstanding. We have apologized, what more do you want?
Old Marshal Qiu and Leng Daoyin had arrived at Shangguan’s doors together. Seeing the crowd that was gathered there, they thought something had happened again but the situation was made known to them after they hurried over.
Looking at the filthy doors of the Shangguan Family of Generals, sniffing at the distinct stench of feces on it, looking at the people who had come asking for forgiveness after what they had done, Qiu Jianhan was infuriated. The old marshal took large strides towards Shangguan’s doors and sprung up to the door’s wall before he pointed his index finger at the gathered crowd, "All you rascals, you have the face to come and apologize here? Can you have some dignity? Some form of basic human decency?"
"Throughout these hundred and fifty years, generations of Shangguan Family of Generals’ men have all died for the stability of the Empire of Yutang, leaving behind widows and orphans. All of you who are protected, who are enjoying peace and safety, chose instead to believe the outrageous rumors, wreaking havoc and attacking the family of generals! Do you all still have the slightest bit of conscience left in you?"
"You have all disappointed the hearts of the family of generals, spewing ill words and doing wretched things. Now that the case has been cleared, you think things can be settled just by bowing here, saying sorry and showing your remorse? You wish, you ungrateful bastards! Everyone in the Shangguan Family of Generals has bathed in blood in the battlefield for generations, have fought and killed until their fallen bodies are brought back in horsehide! They have done all this to protect you, you conscienceless bastards!"
"Apologize? Remorse? You all can say it aloud? Looking at you people, I feel sorry for the Shangguan brothers who have sacrificed themselves in the battlefield! They bathed in blood in the war, their remains brought home in horsehide; generations of their descendants enlisted incessantly, their loyalty unwavering! All to protect you ingrates! Ungrateful, ignorant of history, shameless!"
"Despicable, unrepentant, scurrilous, sordid, contemptible!"
"Have you heard the cries of the loyal souls of the family of generals beneath? Have you seen the faithful souls of vibrant blood enraged? Felt the unworthiness of their sacrifice? With such incidents, how can the warriors be willing to go to war with their all again? Are they putting their lives at stake, risking their all to have their dead bodies carried back in horsehide just to protect you all? Who are you to them, anyway?"