The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was so oppressive that one could hear a pin drop.
Qin Li’s eyebrows were raised in fury, sharp as two murderous blades. His dark pupils were piercing and fierce, and the taut line of his cheekbones was as hard as iron. His entire being was shrouded in a gloomy, menacing aura.
He had only just granted Xie Linchuan the position of Commandant of Justice, restored his right to participate in court discussions, and lifted his house arrest, allowing him to move about freely.
But what about Xie Linchuan?
His words were sweet enough, claiming he came to visit, but it turned out this so-called “visit” was nothing more than an open defiance of the Emperor’s decree, coming here specifically to denounce him as a faint-hearted ruler and a tyrant.
Is this how Xie Linchuan repaid his grace?
The more Qin Li thought about it, the angrier he became. Irrepressible disappointment and rage surged within his chest, and the veins at his temples throbbed violently.
He slammed the memorial in his hand onto the desk with a sharp crack, knocking over a nearby teacup. The cup rattled loudly as tea splashed out, soaking the official document.
Standing to the side, Li Sanbao jumped in fright. He stole a nervous glance at Qin Li before peeking at Xie Linchuan from the corner of his eye.
He truly didn’t know whether to admire Master Xie’s incredible courage for daring to “pluck the tiger’s whiskers,” or to pity him for being so overconfident in the Emperor’s favor that he was about to lose the sovereign’s heart.
Qin Li’s sharp eyes glared venomously at Xie Linchuan. He sneered, “Has this Zhen been too indulgent with you? Have I spoiled you so much that you’ve developed the delusion that you can point fingers at my commands whenever you please?”
“I heard enough pedantic nonsense from those old scholars in court today. I permitted you to return to the morning assembly to discuss state affairs, not to join them in condemning me!”
Xie Linchuan frowned, clenching his fingertips to suppress his emotions as he struggled to remain calm. “Your Majesty, I am also doing this for the sake of your reputation.”
Qin Li’s expression softened slightly, but his face remained grim and his tone stayed cold. “I do not care for such empty fame. How the world sees me is their business.”
“First, there was the assassination attempt that ruined the Heaven Worshipping Ceremony, and then there was the poisoning of the palace wells. If I continue to show womanly compassion, wouldn’t that lead others to think I am weak and easily bullied?”
“I will not only establish my authority through harsh punishment, but I want everyone to see it. I want those rats hiding in the gutters to fear me, to be terrified of me, so they won’t dare to act out!”
Xie Linchuan thought to himself: If Qin Li truly didn’t care about others’ opinions, why would he be this enraged?
He spoke slowly, “Your Majesty truly ordered the arrest of Jing Zhou, the young eunuch by my side? I believe in his character; it is impossible for him to administer poison, and he has no motive for such an act. Even if he was seen wandering nearby, that is not sufficient as ironclad evidence.”
“Even if Your Majesty wishes to eliminate traitors and establish authority, you should ensure the evidence is conclusive before carrying out a public execution, shouldn’t you? If the wrong person is killed and the real culprit remains at large in the palace, who will be responsible for Your Majesty’s safety?”
Believe in his character?
Qin Li let out a cold huff. So, in Xie Linchuan’s heart, even a mere little eunuch had better character and was more worthy of trust than he was?
He approached Xie Linchuan step by step. Instead of getting louder, his expression actually calmed down, and a cold arc curled at the corner of his lips.
“No motive? Is there truly none?”
Xie Linchuan’s heart sank. He knows? It seemed Qin Li had already thoroughly investigated Jing Zhou’s background.
Although Jing Zhou had entered the palace as a eunuch due to injuries sustained on the battlefield, he had not changed his appearance. It was not surprising that someone had recognized him as a former personal guard of the previous dynasty’s Imperial Guard Commander.
Could it be that the “traitor in the steamer” was truly Jing Zhou?
Did Qin Li really take him for a remnant of the previous dynasty, believing Jing Zhou entered the palace just to wait for an opportunity to assassinate him for revenge?
Xie Linchuan’s mind raced. In his past life, it would not have been unreasonable for Qin Li to think this way.
In that life, Jing Zhou’s purpose for entering the palace was indeed to help Xie Linchuan escape Qin Li’s imprisonment and seek revenge against Qin Li, the culprit who destroyed their nation and humiliated their lord.
However, in the previous life, Qin Li had not arrested Jing Zhou; he seemed to have never even noticed this little eunuch from the flower conservatory.
That was why Xie Linchuan had felt safe transferring him from the conservatory to his own side to make things easier.
Could it be that his own actions this time had drawn Qin Li’s attention?
Xie Linchuan slowly relaxed his grip and met Qin Li’s gaze, saying calmly, “Jing Zhou was once my personal guard, but he has always acted under my orders. He has never done anything to harm Your Majesty.”
Seeing that he was no longer hiding it, Qin Li gave a light snort. “I already knew that.”
Xie Linchuan said, “May I ask Your Majesty to let me see him? Since Your Majesty has granted me the office of the Commandant of Justice, this matter should be investigated by me to avoid a miscarriage of justice.”
Qin Li refused flatly without a second thought. “Jing Zhou is your man. How can I let you investigate? Who, inside or outside the palace, would believe that you wouldn’t protect him?”
“You need not concern yourself with this. I have already ordered a thorough investigation. As long as you stay well behaved, this will naturally not implicate you.”
Xie Linchuan’s eyes darkened. “Then, could Your Majesty delay the torture? Such severe laws and punishments are too sensational.”
Qin Li looked at him sideways and drawled out slowly, “No.”
“I have already issued the decree. There is no reason to go back on my word.”
Xie Linchuan instantly tightened his knuckles, staring at the other man without blinking. Qin Li returned the gaze with an equally unyielding and forceful stare.
The aura between the two was like a bow drawn to its limit; the trembling string felt as though it could snap at any moment.
Li Sanbao was terrified, keeping his breathing extremely light.
Finally, Xie Linchuan stepped back two paces, crossed his hands in a formal salute, and said with a cold, expressionless face, “In that case, your subject takes his leave.”
Qin Li froze for a moment upon hearing him suddenly refer to himself as a “subject.” Xie Linchuan had already turned and walked away without hesitation.
Earlier, Qin Li had been looking forward to the moment Xie Linchuan would proactively call himself a subject.
But now that he had heard it with his own ears, he felt no joy. Instead, he was fuming.
What did Xie Linchuan mean by that?
Qin Li paced back and forth in front of the desk with his hands behind his back. His anger simply would not subside. He wanted to issue a decree to punish him for his rudeness and insubordination.
Revoke his position as Commandant of Justice? No, that would be an inconsistent order.
Place him under house arrest in the side hall again and forbid him from leaving? That would also be going back on his word.
Qin Li thought of one idea after another, only to reject them all. After agonizing for a long time without a solution, he finally kicked the leg of a chair hard.
“Xie Linchuan!”
Li Sanbao twitched the corners of his mouth fearfully. “Your Majesty, should I call Master Xie back?”
Qin Li glared at him crossly. “Don’t you dare! Let him realize his mistake and come back on his own to beg me!”
That might not happen in this lifetime!
Li Sanbao sighed inwardly, silently packed up the belongings, and withdrew.
Xie Linchuan walked quickly along the bluestone path of the palace.
When his face was grim, his features were sharp and forbidding; even his stride seemed to carry the aura of the battlefield. Any palace servants he encountered along the way wished they could take a detour to avoid him.
His eyelid flickered slightly. He thought that in this life, he had become calm enough to handle Qin Li’s temper, but he had not expected them to part on bad terms again over the same kind of issue.
“Master Xie! Master Commandant!” Li Sanbao came rushing from behind, somewhat out of breath.
Xie Linchuan turned around and asked indifferently, “Eunuch Li, does His Majesty have further instructions?”
Li Sanbao shook his head. “Master Xie, please don’t think me meddlesome. The Sovereign is, after all, the Sovereign; he holds the power of life and death. It’s best if you don’t go head to head with him. If all else fails, just soften your tone and say some kind words to plead with him.”
“The Sovereign isn’t letting you get involved specifically to keep you from being implicated.”
“Even without ‘involvement,’ I am already implicated.” Xie Linchuan shook his head slowly. He understood the situation, but he could not remain an idle bystander.
In their past life, the two of them had clashed and reached a deadlock over this. He had not expected that after being reborn, they would repeat the same mistake, albeit for a different reason.
He didn’t want to clash with Qin Li either, but Qin Li’s talent for being infuriating was truly unparalleled.
If he coaxed and followed Qin Li’s every whim, Qin Li’s temper would only grow worse in the future.
Not only would Jing Zhou be sacrificed for no reason, but Qin Li would gradually turn into the tyrant he was in the previous life.
Thinking of this, Xie Linchuan narrowed his eyes, his expression rarely carrying a hint of “gnashing his teeth.”
This is all Qin Li’s fault!
Xie Linchuan remembered that among the managers around Qin Li, besides the personal attendant Li Sanbao, there was also that Eunuch Wang.
He searched around and finally found him.
When Xie Linchuan explained his purpose, Eunuch Wang looked troubled. “Eunuch Li repeatedly instructed that this matter must not be spoken of carelessly.”
Xie Linchuan skillfully pulled several banknotes from his robe and said in a low voice, “If Eunuch Wang helps me with this, I will remember your kindness in my heart.”
“You see, Jing Zhou has been with me for some time; he is clever and gentle. We are all just serving our masters to earn a living; it wouldn’t be right to stand by and watch him suffer such a cruel fate.”
Eunuch Wang fell silent for a moment. Looking at the determined gaze of the man before him, he had no choice but to pull Xie Linchuan into a corner. He accepted the banknotes and whispered, “Master Xie, you must not say I was the one who told you.”
“A few days ago, you were recovering in the side hall and did not leave your room, so you probably don’t know. Recently, because of the assassination attempt during the ceremony, the palace has been catching remnants of the previous dynasty more strictly. Several rebels were indeed caught, and without exception, they all died under torture, which has caused widespread panic.”
“The remaining traitors must have been scared. They simply threw poison into a well. A palace servant accidentally drank the water and died. Now everyone is panicked and living in fear, complaining that the large scale search for spies should not continue.”
Xie Linchuan asked, “Where was the poison thrown?”
Eunuch Wang looked left and right, then said, “Near the Imperial Kitchen. Fortunately, the water His Majesty uses is transported from outside and does not come from the wells, but the palace servants occasionally draw well water.”
Xie Linchuan frowned and asked, “How is this connected to Jing Zhou?”
“The patrolling guards saw someone acting suspiciously near the well at night, who then vanished. When they searched the area, they encountered Jing Zhou, who claimed to be just passing by. The guards recognized him as a eunuch from the Zichen Hall, so they didn’t make things difficult for him.”
“Who knew that the very next day, they would find a palace servant poisoned by the well water?”
Xie Linchuan asked suspiciously, “Just that? Is there any other evidence?”
Eunuch Wang nodded. “Yes. When the guards searched the well, they found a stray tribute pearl in the grass.”
As he spoke, he formed a circle with his thumb and forefinger to demonstrate the size. “A tribute pearl this large is rare even in the palace treasury. Aside from those gifted by His Majesty to meritorious officials, the only place in the palace that has them is”
Without him needing to say more, Xie Linchuan knew that his place was likely the only one in the palace that had them.
He had previously given a few of these pearls to Jing Zhou. The rest he had taken to the Commandant’s office today to give to his former lieutenant, Di Yong, so they could eventually be handed over to Jing Zhou for him to establish a business later on.
Xie Linchuan pondered for a moment, feeling more and more that this matter was suspicious and strange. It was clearly being subtly pointed toward him.
Eunuch Wang continued, “This morning, someone found a tribute pearl hidden in the eunuchs’ quarters by Jing Zhou and concluded he had stolen it. Now that there is both an eyewitness and physical evidence, and since it involves a major assassination attempt, even Eunuch Li Sanbao didn’t dare show favoritism. He sent men to take Jing Zhou to the Directorate of Palace Attendants.”
Xie Linchuan immediately said, “Where is Jing Zhou now? Is he still at the Directorate? Can Eunuch Wang take me to see him?”
Eunuch Wang waved his hands frantically. “That would be too difficult for me; no one can get in there. However, news came out from the Directorate this morning that Jing Zhou has already confessed to the poisoning. But he insists it has nothing to do with you and refuses to reveal any other accomplices.”
Even though there was no one else around, Eunuch Wang instinctively lowered his voice. “Consequently, His Majesty was furious and ordered him to be placed inside a steamer. He is required to confess the names of his accomplices within one day, otherwise, he will be executed by steaming tomorrow, and many palace servants will be made to watch.”
Xie Linchuan’s expression changed. Jing Zhou confessed to the poisoning?
How was that possible?
Furthermore, if Jing Zhou was the poisoner and held tribute pearls gifted by him, wouldn’t that be a blatant signal that Xie Linchuan was an accomplice or even the mastermind?
This poisoning case wasn’t just an attempted assassination; it was a deliberate attempt to shift the blame onto him.
If Jing Zhou truly confessed, he must be doing it to take the fall for Xie Linchuan to keep him from being implicated.
And in order to protect him, Qin Li was pushing Jing Zhou out as a scapegoat.
This did sound like something Qin Li would do, which was why he would not let him get involved.
However, in the previous life, the person executed by steaming was not Jing Zhou.
Xie Linchuan’s face turned dark. This was something he absolutely could not tolerate.
Eunuch Wang looked at his expression and felt he had accidentally said too much. He advised cautiously, “Master Xie, His Majesty didn’t want you to know for your own good.”
“It’s better if you don’t get involved in this. Otherwise, having just returned to court, you would suffer public criticism, which would likely harm your future prospects.”
Xie Linchuan said, “Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch. But Jing Zhou was only transferred from the flower conservatory because of me. If not for that, how would he have met such a calamity?”
“To put it bluntly, if it were you, Eunuch, how desperate would you be if you were treated as a scapegoat? You would surely hope someone could give you a hand, wouldn’t you?”
Eunuch Wang opened his mouth, sighed, and stepped back half a pace to bow with his hands clasped toward Xie Linchuan. “Master Xie, please take care.”
Xie Linchuan bid farewell to Eunuch Wang. After thinking it over, he decided he had to risk going to see Jing Zhou.
Looking at the setting sun in the west, he returned to the side hall for the time being. It was not until nightfall that he headed toward the central courtyard.
That massive steamer was already set up there, with firewood piled underneath, though it had not been lit yet. Beside it was a large wooden barrel half the height of a man, filled with water.
Four guards stood before the steamer with long spears, blocking any palace servants who dared to approach.
Once it reached noon tomorrow, if he still refused to reveal his accomplices, the guards would add water to the large iron pot under the steamer and steam him alive.
From time to time, passing palace servants stopped to watch and whisper.
Xie Linchuan did not stop, walking through the crowd directly toward the large steamer in the center.
As soon as he appeared, several guards noticed him and immediately became tense.
Two of them stepped forward, holding their spears horizontally. They said solemnly, “Master Xie, His Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed near this place.”
Xie Linchuan pressed his hand against the spear shaft and said in a deep voice, “I have no intention of making things difficult for you. I only wish to say a few words to the suspect.”
The guards still shook their heads persistently. “Master, please step back.”
Xie Linchuan’s hand changed from a press to a grip, holding the spear firmly without letting go. His gaze darkened slightly. “What if I insist on going over to speak with him?”
The guards immediately went into a state of high alert. “If the Master persists, we will have to be rude.”
“Heh.” A cold sneer curled on Xie Linchuan’s lips, and his narrow eyes squinted. He took a golden waist token from his belt. “This is the Commandant’s Command given to this official by His Majesty. The Commandant of Justice specializes in criminal law and prisons.”
“There are many suspicious points regarding the suspect in this case. A severe execution is about to be carried out without being reviewed by the Commandant’s Office. This official has the right to reject it. I ask you two: was the order to steam the suspect a direct oral decree from His Majesty, or a request from the Directorate of Palace Attendants?”
The guards were dumbfounded and looked at each other. They didn’t understand these complex procedures, but wasn’t a request from the Directorate the same as His Majesty’s request?
What was the difference?
Taking advantage of their hesitation, Xie Linchuan gripped one of the spears, pushed the guard aside, and strode boldly through the middle of them.
Xie Linchuan hurried to the side of the steamer and saw a small eunuch lying inside with his face covered, hands and feet bound, and mouth gagged.
Without a word, he yanked the cloth from the man’s mouth and asked in a low voice, “Jing Zhou, tell me, were you framed? Do you know who the culprit is? Don’t worry, I will definitely save you!”
He leaned over and listened intently.
The commotion here immediately caused a stir among the nearby palace servants, and people kept looking over.
“Master!” The guards swarmed up, using their spears to forcefully block him and push Xie Linchuan away. “Master Xie! Please leave immediately, or we will have to use force against you!”
Xie Linchuan’s face was cold as he shouted sternly, “I saw his mouth moving! He clearly intended to tell me who the real culprit is. Go fetch a physician immediately to help him regain consciousness.”
The guard said reluctantly, “Master Xie, we cannot make that decision.”
“This official will make the decision for you! Just send someone to fetch one. I will personally take responsibility for any problems!”
Seeing that they were still hesitating, Xie Linchuan darkened his face and scolded loudly, “Isn’t the reason His Majesty has the suspect here to find out the names of his accomplices?”
“Now that the suspect is willing to speak, you would rather he remain unconscious and kill him the next day than call a physician to help him wake up?”
Xie Linchuan’s voice was sharp and severe: “What are your intentions? Do you wish for the other rebels to remain at large and keep His Majesty in a state of constant anxiety?”
The “hat” he was placing on them was far too large. The guards’ scalps felt numb; they couldn’t find a reason to argue back, so they sent one person to fetch a physician.
Another guard said, “We will call the physician, but we hope Master Xie will leave this place and stop defying His Majesty’s decree.”
“Very well.” Xie Linchuan nodded. He pointed at the person in the steamer and said loudly, “Once he wakes up, he will surely reveal the identity of his accomplices. You must report this to His Majesty immediately.”
“Yes.”
Seeing that Xie Linchuan was no longer persistent and had left cleanly, the guards breathed a sigh of relief and began to disperse the palace servants who were still lingering and gossiping nearby.
A short while later.
A dark faced eunuch peeked out from the shadows, staring at the large steamer in the courtyard. His expression shifted unsteadily, and his brow was full of anxiety.
“The physician is about to arrive. What should I do? Why are there still several guards left”
Hua Chun was a eunuch from the Fruit Room. He was usually responsible for delivering fruit to the kitchens and various eunuch quarters, so he could move around often and was well informed.
All day today, he had been watching the movements in the courtyard from a distance, hesitating whether to risk taking action to silence the suspect.
Just now, he had noticed Xie Linchuan making a scene and demanding a physician for the suspect in the steamer.
A while ago, many suspects were caught during the palace search. He didn’t know who the rebel from the previous dynasty in the steamer actually was.
If it were an accomplice who recognized him and revealed him out of fear of torture, he would be the next one in the steamer!
Looking at the massive steamer, the water in the pot, and the thick firewood, and thinking of the tragedy of being steamed alive, Hua Chun’s face turned slightly pale, and his scalp felt a prickle of fear.
He observed his surroundings for a moment, unsure of how to proceed.
Just then, across a red wall, wisps of black smoke rose into the air. The scorched smell of a fire drifted over with the night breeze.
Palace servants who saw the smoke immediately screamed, “Fire! Fire! Quickly, bring water to put it out”
The palace was full of wooden buildings; fire was what they feared most.
The commotion spread from one person to ten, and then to a hundred. Soon, the nearby palace servants were running with buckets to put out the fire.
Even the guards on watch were shoved two buckets each. In the end, only one person remained to guard the steamer.
Seeing the courtyard fall into chaos, Hua Chun was overjoyed. It was a godsend!
Seeing that the physician had not yet arrived, he gritted his teeth, hid a miniature mechanism containing a poison needle in his sleeve, picked up the fruit box beside him, and walked toward the steamer.
“Hold on, who are you?” The remaining guard stopped Hua Chun and looked at the fruit box he was carrying.
Hua Chun opened the box with a face full of smiles. “I’m from the Fruit Room. I just delivered today’s fruit to the Directorate. I saw there was some left, so I thought I’d bring it to you all. You’ve been standing all day; take a break.”
The guard looked down at the small fruits and tea snacks he had brought and muttered, “You always give us the leftovers. Fine, fine, just put it down.”
Hua Chun agreed readily. Just as he was about to set it down, he accidentally tripped. The fruit tray hit the ground with a clatter, and fruit rolled everywhere.
“Oh no, I’m sorry! Let me clean it up!” Hua Chun smiled awkwardly and apologized, squatting down to pick up the fruit.
“How could you be so clumsy!” The guard was speechless and had no choice but to squat down and help him clean up.
During this window, Hua Chun turned his back, quietly raised the mechanism, and flicked his finger toward the figure in the steamer!
Done!
He had just breathed a silent sigh of relief and was about to stand up when he suddenly heard a low, cold voice from behind:
“原來往井裏投毒的奸細就是你啊。”
Hua Chun was struck with horror. He turned around abruptly to find several spears pointed directly at his head, their sharp tips glinting with a cold, silver light under the moon.
Looking up, he saw a tall figure standing behind the guards with one hand behind his back. Standing against the light, the man’s well proportioned frame and handsome face were gradually revealed under the moon.
“M Master Xie!” In an instant, Hua Chun’s mind went blank; his limbs trembled and went weak.
His eyes darted around. “I I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just a little eunuch from the Fruit Room. Isn’t the poisoner in the steamer?”
Since his poison needle had already hit the person inside, they would not survive. Hua Chun steeled his heart and decided to keep his mouth shut.
“Still stubborn even at death’s door?” Xie Linchuan’s voice was indifferent, showing no sign of anger or joy.
He walked around Hua Chun to the steamer and flipped the lid off, completely exposing the figure inside to everyone.
The person was bound hand and foot, their mouth open, their body stiff and motionless, and their head covered with a black cloth.
Hua Chun gritted his teeth and shouted, “This person is dead!”
“Yes.” Xie Linchuan removed the black cloth from the person’s head, revealing the pale face of someone who had been dead for a long time, their body already showing mottled, dark purple liver spots.
It was actually the palace servant who had died from drinking the well water; it was not a rebel remnant at all.
“Ah? How” Hua Chun was stunned, and then his face turned deathly pale. He had fallen into a trap!
Xie Linchuan turned back and lowered his eyes to give him a cold, indifferent look. “Only a real traitor would take the opportunity to come and silence a witness.”
Hua Chun was already pinned to the ground by the guards, unable to struggle no matter what. With a face like a condemned man, he cursed desperately:
“Xie Linchuan, you truly have sided with that tyrant! If you hadn’t interfered during the Heaven Worshipping Ceremony, perhaps Qin Li would already be dead mgh”
A piece of linen was stuffed into his mouth, cutting off all his words.
Tyrant?
Xie Linchuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. It turned out Qin Li had other plans from the very beginning.
He had not pushed Jing Zhou out as bait or a scapegoat, nor had he actually carried out a cruel execution to establish authority.
But why didn’t Qin Li just say so and explain it to him?
He did the work, but he also started the fight, took the scolding, and bore the blame.
Xie Linchuan stood in place, looking up at the bright moon in the sky. His sword like brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze wavered almost imperceptibly.
He really wanted to know: was the “tyrant” Qin Li in the eyes of the world in his previous life also like this?
Or was there some misunderstanding he didn’t yet know about?
A high pitched voice broke his thoughts: “The Sovereign arrives”