novelraw Chapter 187
Chapter 187
Ye Chutang's question made Han Chong break out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly explained, "I detest the Northern Barbarians to the bone. I just wanted to extract information quickly and momentarily forgot the rules, overstepping my bounds. Thank you for the reminder, Madam Qi."
The Dragon Guard's mission was to protect the imperial authority and ensure the peace of the nation and its people.
Investigating foreign spies was the Dragon Guard's duty, and interrogating them was part of it.
So, upon learning the black-clad man was a Northern Barbarian spy, he momentarily forgot his current identity.
Han Chong thanked Ye Chutang again.
"Thank you. I am Han Chong. I owe Madam Qi another favor."
In his view, Ye Chutang was the emperor's person.
Whether he owed her his life or a favor, it wouldn't affect the Emperor.
That's why he spoke so frankly.
Ye Chutang knew Han Chong was lying but did not expose him.
"I'll remember that."
Han Chong returned to the team.
He discussed with Wu Chenggang how to handle the spy and the two corpses.
The hornets had stung to death one of Zhao Mingxu's concubines and a guard escorting the prisoners.
The bodies of these two needed to be sent to the nearest county magistrate's office for reporting and removal from the household registers.
The spy, dead or alive, also had to be sent to the county magistrate's office, to be escorted to the capital by the county's guards.
After settling the plan, Wu Chenggang issued a few warnings to the Qi, Zhao, and Ye families.
Then, he took twenty Dragon Guards to escort the spy and the corpses to the nearest county magistrate's office.
After they left, Han Chong was the first to send a carrier pigeon message to the capital, detailing the situation to his commander.
Watching the white pigeon fly away, Ye Chutang felt like eating braised squab.
Qi Yanzhou, seeing through her thoughts, said gently, "As dusk falls and birds return to their nests, it's the perfect time for hunting."
"Pick the plump ones. Stir-fried, they're delicious."
"Alright, A'Tang. You threw up quite a bit earlier. Would you like something to eat?"
Ye Chutang had little appetite at the moment and shook her head. "Let me settle my stomach first, then I'll eat."
"Then rest for now. I'll go handle the wild boar piglet."
To avoid bothering Ye Chutang with the smell again, Qi Yanzhou took the boiled water and walked further away with Qi He'an.
Old Madam Qi, noticing Ye Chutang's pale complexion, ladled a bowl of hot water for her.
"Tang'er, drink something warm. It'll soothe your stomach."
"Thank you, Mother."
Ye Chutang took the bowl and drank slowly.
Concubine Xu said with concern, "Madam, there's still some hot water in the pot. Shall I make you some dough drop soup? It warms the stomach and fills you up."
"Alright, that would be troublesome for you, Auntie."
"It's no trouble. It just might not taste very good."
"That's fine. I'll guide you."
After saying this, Ye Chutang handed her own water pouch to Concubine Xu.
"Yanzhou took the water bucket. Use the water from here to make the dough."
Under her guidance, Concubine Xu quickly made the dough drop soup.
The soup made with spirit spring water was exceptionally fragrant.
With the addition of some seasonings and sesame oil, it was a true delicacy.
After one bowl, Ye Chutang's stomach immediately felt better.
After eating, she unblocked her sense of smell.
Then, using charcoal, she wrote down the steps for curing the wild boar meat and handed it to Concubine Xu.
"Auntie, I'm a bit sleepy. Please give this to Yanzhou later."
"Alright, Madam, you rest."
After lying down, Ye Chutang found a book, opened it, and placed it over her face to block the light.
Soon, she fell asleep.
Meanwhile, in the capital.
News that Qi Yanzhou had nearly been bitten by a black-bellied snake the previous night had already spread throughout the capital.
"Black-bellied snakes are only found in the south. Their sudden appearance in the north is definitely man-made!"
"I heard black-bellied snakes are only as thick as chopsticks, attack extremely fast, and are highly venomous. If hidden in the dark, almost no one can avoid them. If bitten, the worst outcome is death, the lesser is turning into a fool. Thankfully, Prince Chen's martial arts are high, allowing him to dodge it."
"The Qi family just left the capital, and someone already made a move. This further proves the hidden weapons charge was false, fearing the Qi family would find evidence to overturn the case!"
"Absolutely! If Prince Chen wanted to seize the throne, he would surely have widespread support. Why would he need to hide weapons?"
"It seems the rumors are true. The imperial marriage was a trap set by the Emperor to frame the Qi family for rebellion and execute their nine clans!"
Such discussions filled the entire capital.
They soon reached the palace.
The Emperor angrily swept the memorials off his desk.
"Fools! They're all fools!"
The Dragon Guard was utterly unworthy of its name. Not only did they fail to kill Qi Yanzhou, but they also brought him a heap of trouble!
Eunuch De advised, "Your Majesty, the rumors are deliberately spread by Qi Yanzhou. If you get angry, you're falling right into his trap."
After speaking, he opened an ornate box.
Inside the box were eight golden pills, emitting an enticing medicinal fragrance.
"Your Majesty, these are golden pills refined by Daoist Shancun. They have the effect of prolonging life and cleansing the body of impurities."
Hearing this, the Emperor immediately stopped being angry, his eyes lighting up.
"Daoist Shancun? The one who is over a hundred years old but looks like a youth?"
Yes. This servant originally wanted to invite Daoist Shancun into the palace, but he said the palace's atmosphere was too turbid and not conducive to cultivation, so he politely declined. However, not wishing to offend Your Majesty, he agreed to prepare a portion for you whenever he refines pills.
The Emperor was somewhat displeased. "I will issue an edict immediately, summoning him to the palace!"
The palace is clearly where the true dragon's aura resides. How could it be turbid?!
Eunuch De reminded him, "Your Majesty, you know these reclusive masters possess great abilities and do not fear imperial authority. If you push him too hard and he leaves, you won't even have the golden pills."
"That is true," the Emperor said, eyeing Eunuch De suspiciously.
"It is said Daoist Shancun is elusive. How did you find him?"
After the incident with Heavenly Master Zhang, he had become very cautious about Daoist cultivation and alchemy, fearing a repeat.
"After Heavenly Master Zhang's death, this servant wrote to the abbot of Qingyun Temple, asking him to help keep an eye out for Daoist Shancun. Unexpectedly, the abbot actually found him."
After speaking, Eunuch De took a letter from his robe.
"This is the letter the abbot sent with the pills for Your Majesty."
The Emperor immediately took the envelope and extracted the letter.
After confirming it was the abbot's handwriting, he read it carefully.
The golden pills were indeed sent by Daoist Shancun. Furthermore, the abbot invited him to Qingyun Temple for purification retreat during the days of the Summer Solstice.
The Summer Solstice is when yang energy is at its peak, the best time for men's purification retreats.
Most importantly, Daoist Shancun would also be at Qingyun Temple then.
"Your Majesty, if you can persuade Daoist Shancun with sincerity, he might agree to enter the palace and assist Your Majesty in cultivation."
This was the last sentence written by the abbot.
After reading it, the Emperor was thrilled. "Eunuch De, summon the Minister of Revenue for an audience."
After Ye Jingchuan was dismissed and exiled, Xie Jingyi, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, was promoted to Minister.
The Emperor promoted him because the Xie family was a century-old aristocratic family with deep roots and a rich cultural heritage.
Eunuch De glanced at the Emperor, who was as foolish as a pig. "This servant obeys the command."
After speaking, he left the Hall of Diligent Governance.
The Emperor immediately summoned the imperial physician to examine the golden pills.
He was now wary of Eunuch De and naturally had to be cautious about anything he consumed.
The physician cut off a small piece of a golden pill and examined it in front of the Emperor.
Your Majesty, the golden pill is "no problem" (méi wèn tí) — "no problem" (méi wèn tí) — fine, no problem. It uses the finest medicinal ingredients and indeed has life-prolonging effects.
As for whether it could cleanse impurities from the body, he didn't know.
After all, he didn't understand Daoist cultivation.
The Emperor ordered the imperial physician to examine the Golden Elixir to verify whether the pill was safe to consume.
"There wouldn't be something like... the blood of a child in this pill, would there?"
Although its effects were potent, he couldn't shake the feeling that excessive killing was detrimental to spiritual cultivation.
His impotence must surely be a form of retribution!
The imperial physician promptly knelt, pressing his forehead to the floor.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, this Golden Elixir is refined from medicinal herbs."
As a man of Eunuch De, he naturally would not tell the Emperor the truth about the elixir.
After hearing this, the Emperor asked, "Has Physician Xue not returned yet?"
After Ye Chutang and Qi Yanzhou's wedding, Xue Dong had entered the mountains under the pretext of gathering herbs for the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, Physician Xue has not yet returned."
Then, he tactfully reminded, "Your Majesty, since the Imperial Hospital was robbed, the replenished supplies are less than one-tenth of what was lost. We cannot even prepare the medicines the consorts regularly take."
The Emperor understood the physician was asking for silver to purchase medicines.
He waved his hand impatiently, "I am aware. You may leave."
Everyone kept asking him for silver, as if they didn't consider that he too had been cleaned out by the "Ghost Thief," alright?
The thought of the empty inner treasury and the depleted state treasury gave him a headache.
And then there was the Qi family!
Thinking of the rumor that "if the Qi family rebels, they will surely have countless followers," the Emperor's desire to exterminate them grew even stronger.
He said to the eunuch attending him, "Prepare the brush and ink."
The Emperor wrote four secret letters.
One to Ye Chutang, one to Concubine Su, one to Han Chong, and one to Zhao Mingxu.
By tomorrow, the exiled procession would be a hundred li away.
Then, at a suitable location, they would launch a full-force attack to kill the Qi family members. He refused to believe they could escape again!
Afterwards, they would stage it as a bandit raid.
After all, when Qi Yanzhou first entered officialdom, he had suppressed countless bandits. It was only logical that he would face revenge now in his fallen state.
The Emperor handed the secret letters to a shadow guard. "Deliver them at two-hour intervals."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
As soon as the shadow guard left with the letters, Eunuch De entered the Golden Luan Hall with the Minister of Revenue, Xie Jingyi.
Before Xie Jingyi could perform the proper greetings, the Emperor got straight to the point. "The state treasury is currently depleted. Do you have any methods to replenish it quickly, Minister Xie?"
After asking, he deliberately mentioned how Ye Jingchuan had confiscated the property of the Tang family, the wealthiest in Jiangnan.
Xie Jingyi understood the Emperor's implication, but he was not Ye Jingchuan; he had no need to rely on such offerings to become a favored minister.
"Your Majesty, this subject has two strategies to replenish the treasury."
Hearing this, the Emperor's interest was immediately piqued.
"Let's hear them, Minister Xie."
"First, strictly investigate corrupt officials and confiscate their assets; second, punish unscrupulous merchants and confiscate their assets. In this way, Your Majesty can both fill the treasury and gain a reputation for wisdom and virtue."
"Minister Xie's plan is truly excellent, far more effective than levying taxes."
Xie Jingyi bowed. "Your Majesty is wise!"
The Emperor waved his hand. "You may leave."
After Xie Jingyi left the Hall of Diligent Governance, the Emperor looked at Eunuch De.
"Summon the Censor and the Director of the Market Office for an audience."
The Censorate oversaw all officials; they knew very well who the corrupt ones were and whose family fortunes were the richest.
The Market Office managed trade and had a thorough understanding of merchants' assets.
Eunuch De, also short on silver, immediately accepted the order and left.
Having resolved one of his major worries, the Emperor picked up a Golden Elixir from the brocade box and swallowed it.
The effects were immediate.
He felt his body grow warm and light, as if floating among clouds, a sensation of extreme comfort.
Furthermore, his fatigue vanished completely, replaced by seemingly boundless energy.
"Truly worthy of the pills refined by Daoist Shancun. The effect is excellent!"
Then, he crooked a finger at a palace maid attending nearby.
"Come here!"
The maid understood the desire in the Emperor's eyes, and a surge of joy rose in her heart as she quickly stepped forward.
If she could gain the Emperor's favor, she could leave her servant status behind and become a mistress.
She pretended to twist her ankle and fell into the Emperor's arms.
"Your Majesty..."
Her drawn-out tone was melodious and pleasing, which the Emperor greatly enjoyed. His hand wandered restlessly into the maid's collar, giving a squeeze.
The maid let out a seductive moan.
"Mmm... Your Majesty, this servant... feels so unwell..."
She nestled bonelessly into the Emperor's embrace, deliberately breathing into his ear.
Most palace maids harbored dreams of a sparrow becoming a phoenix and naturally knew how to please a man.
The Emperor scooped up the maid and said to a eunuch, "When the Censor and the Director of the Market Office arrive, have them wait outside the hall for a while."
"Your servant obeys."
The Emperor carried the maid to the dragon bed in the inner chamber of the hall.
However, once their clothes were shed and his desire was strong, he remained impotent.
"Slap!"
The Emperor struck the maid across the face. "Useless wench! Your death is no loss!"
Then, grabbing a jade pillow, he beat the maid to death.
He cursed angrily, "What 'Divine Physician'? A quack!"
Looking at the maid's wide, unseeing eyes, he quickly put on his inner garments and got down from the dragon bed.
"Someone! Dispose of this wench."
The attending eunuch hurriedly called people in to drag away the maid's corpse, clean the inner chamber, and light some ambergris incense.
By the time the Censor and the Director of the Market Office arrived at the Imperial Study, the Hall of Diligent Governance had been put in order.
While the Emperor was discussing with the officials which corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants to target for confiscation...
Ye Chutang woke from her afternoon nap.
She removed the book covering her face, sat up with a yawn, and looked around. Most people were still sleeping.
Qi Yanzhou had been sleeping right next to Ye Chutang.
Sensing she was awake, he also sat up.
"Ah-Tang, are you hungry?"
Ye Chutang had eaten a bowl of dough drop soup before her nap and wasn't very hungry yet.
She shook her head. "Not hungry. What time is it?"
Qi Yanzhou glanced at the shadows cast by the trees on the ground. "Nearly the end of the Shen hour."
In summer, darkness fell late. The sun was still high, and the air was scorching hot.
He said, "I've already marinated the wild boar meat according to the recipe you wrote."
"Alright. We'll start roasting it after sunset."
After saying this, Ye Chutang got up and went to the lakeside to wash her face.
After washing up, she went to find Han Chong.
"My husband and I are going into the woods to look for food. We'll be back within half an hour."
Han Chong nodded. "Very well. If you exceed half an hour and haven't returned, you will be treated as escaped convicts, and the Qi family members will be executed on the spot."
Ye Chutang smiled. "If I wanted to escape, I wouldn't have saved you all in the first place."
Then, she returned to the campsite, took Qi Yanzhou's hand, and led him into the woods.
"Let's go pick some raspberries."
Although the sun was fierce, within the woods there was shade and a breeze, so it wasn't too hot.
Qi Yanzhou sensed someone following behind them and asked Ye Chutang, "Ignore them, or lose them?"
Ye Chutang glanced back.
"Don't mind them. They're far enough away not to overhear our conversation."
"Alright. What does Ah-Tang wish to discuss?"
Ye Chutang asked directly, "Do you know who Han Chong and the others are?"
Qi Yanzhou glanced sideways behind them and lowered his voice. "If I'm not mistaken, they are likely the Dragon Guard."
"The loyalists who obey the Emperor unconditionally?"
"Similar, but not entirely. The Dragon Guard must not only protect the stability of the imperial authority but also safeguard the peace and security of the nation."
The latter should be one and the same, but for the current Beichen Kingdom, they were contradictory.
Because the royal family was persecuting the people!
Ye Chutang found this ridiculous and laughed out loud.
"The stability of imperial authority and the peace of the nation are contradictory. How do they plan to protect both simultaneously?"
Qi Yanzhou took Ye Chutang's hand and said, "I suspect they only accept missions that can protect both."
Like this time.
The Dragon Guard believes the Qi family intends to rebel, which is detrimental to imperial authority and destabilizing to the nation, so they took on the mission to deal with the Qi family.
Ye Chutang understood and asked, "For the Dragon Guard, which is greater: imperial authority or the nation?"
"It should be imperial authority. Otherwise, they would have already acted against the royal family."
"That makes sense. Do you think there's a possibility of turning them to our side?"
Qi Yanzhou thought for a moment, then said, "The chance is slim, but it's worth a try."
"Then let's try."
Ye Chutang had previously thought that those sent by the emperor to kill members of the Qi family must have hands stained with evil.
After she killed Lu Ge and saved everyone,
Her merit points increased and decreased.
Saving good people, increase; killing bad people, increase; saving bad people, decrease.
She thought that with so many of the despicable emperor's lackeys, her merit points would surely plummet.
But the detailed list of gains and losses surprised her greatly.
Not a single one of the hundred Dragon Guard members had their merit points decreased.
Some had over ten thousand, others just a few dozen.
At that time, she guessed that although Han Chong and his men were the emperor's pawns, they weren't bad people themselves.
So, she patiently probed Han Chong and went to great lengths to force him to acknowledge the "debt of a life saved."
After confirming her guess, she began to consider the idea of winning them over.
Now, hearing Qi Yanzhou's words solidified her resolve.
Qi Yanzhou supported Ye Chutang's idea. "If you need my cooperation, just say the word anytime."
Ye Chutang slid her fingers between Qi Yanzhou's, interlocking their hands.
"Good. Where are the raspberries? I want more."
Qi Yanzhou took Ye Chutang to the place where he had picked raspberries before.
A large patch, mingled yellow and red, very beautiful.
"Ah-Tang, don't move. The raspberry branches have many tiny thorns. I'll do it."
After saying this, he reluctantly let go of Ye Chutang's hand.
"Then you pick them here. I'll go look around nearby to see if there are any other wild fruits."
"Be careful. There might still be snakes."
"I know. I'll be back soon."
Ye Chutang came to the woods not to eat, but to capture hornets.
The despicable emperor had sent her such a great force; she had to return the favor!
After Lu Ge died, the hornet swarm, leaderless, hid in every nook and cranny of the woods.
Given the large number of hornets, they were still quite easy to find.
Ye Chutang spent the time it takes to drink a cup of tea and captured nearly five hundred.
She placed them in a finely-woven bamboo basket that allowed airflow and stored it in her space.
She wasn't skilled at beekeeping, but she was adept at using poison.
If the Northern Barbarians could make hornets carry medicine that induced fire poison, she could make them carry poison too!
After finishing her task, Ye Chutang called out to Qi Yanzhou not far away, "Ah-Zhou, I need to relieve myself. Keep an eye on the government escorts for me, don't let them come near."
Qi Yanzhou walked a few steps closer to Ye Chutang's direction.
"Alright, call me if anything happens."
Ye Chutang acknowledged and then teleported to the imperial palace.
The distance here was fifty li from the palace. Such a long round trip would cost nearly ten thousand merit points.
It was about the same as what she earned today, so she didn't feel too bad about it.
She guessed the emperor would be in the imperial study at this hour and went to the inner chamber.
Ye Chutang pushed aside a floorboard under the bed slightly.
There were no shoes by the bedside, indicating the emperor was not in the inner chamber.
The emperor's voice came from the outer chamber.
"Then it's decided. On the officials' side, target the families of the Minister of Works, the Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Vice Minister of Rites. On the merchants' side, target the Huang and Chen families."
"This subject will surely live up to Your Majesty's expectations and confiscate the properties of these corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants."
"We give you only ten days. The Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice will cooperate. Go and prepare."
"Your subject obeys the decree. Your subject takes his leave!"
Although Ye Chutang only heard a few sentences, she understood what the emperor was planning.
To scrape up silver, he truly would stop at nothing!
"Your Majesty, it's getting late. Would you like to return to the bedchamber and have the meal served?"
As soon as Eunuch De finished asking, the emperor grunted in assent.
He had been busy almost all day and was indeed quite exhausted.
"Return to the bedchamber."
Hearing this, Ye Chutang knew if she didn't act now, she would miss her chance.
She immediately moved to beneath the floor of the front chamber and pushed aside a floorboard under the desk slightly.
Release the hornets.
The hornets swarmed out of the bamboo basket.
At the same time, she deliberately used her ability to create a loud commotion in the inner chamber.
To cover the buzzing sound of the hornets' wings.
Eunuch De's face tightened, and he barked, "Who's in the inner chamber?"
The emperor's shadow guards left half to protect him, while the other half immediately rushed into the inner chamber to apprehend the intruder.
But they found nothing.
By now, enough hornets had flown out of the basket.
Eunuch De not only heard the buzzing but also saw the frenzied hornets.
He immediately waved his sleeve to shoo them away. "Why are there hornets in the chamber?"
Before his words fully landed, hornets were everywhere.
The emperor was terrified and roared, "Quick, get rid of these hornets!"
The shadow guards tried to protect the emperor while searching for the source of the hornets.
"It seems they're coming from under the desk."
Before the shadow guard finished speaking, Ye Chutang had already changed position, arriving right under the despicable emperor's feet.
He was too tense to notice the floorboard beneath his feet being pushed aside slightly.
Hornets emerged from the gap and flew directly into the emperor's robes.
"Ah! It hurts! I've been stung!"
Stung by the hornets, the emperor jumped around in pain.
The hornets inside his robes were agitated and stung even more fiercely.
Having achieved her goal, Ye Chutang released the remaining hornets into the courtyard and teleported back to the woods.
She had been gone for less than half an incense stick's time. No one noticed her absence.
Meanwhile, the emperor in the imperial study fainted directly from the pain.
The shadow guards and the attending palace maids and eunuchs were also badly stung.
Even Eunuch De was stung twice on the face.
Seeing the emperor fallen and unconscious, being furiously attacked by hornets, he shouted angrily.
"Quick, wrap His Majesty in a quilt! Also, hornets fear fire and thick smoke."
At these words, the shadow guards immediately took off their clothes, lit them, and used them to drive away the hornets.
Eunuchs carried the unconscious emperor to the dragon bed and covered him with a quilt.
With the shadow guards' efforts, the hornets were soon cleared away.
When the imperial physicians arrived at the study, the emperor was already running a high fever.
After the dragon robes were removed, the emperor's stings were revealed.
Everyone gasped in shock, sucking in a cold breath.
He was covered in welts, especially the inner thighs, which were a sight too dreadful to behold.
And even the dragon's yang organ was swollen so badly it forced his thighs apart!