History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 185 Iron Hammer Warrior Zhao Zhi
“Those who establish themselves and cultivate virtue deserve to enjoy the glory of the main hall.” Yuan Ke said sarcastically, “Those who have long been devoid of virtue can only be confined to a small room, isolated from the outside world, making you fearful day and night, unable to call for help from heaven or earth.”

After Yuan Ke finished speaking, he left, and all the servants followed silently, not daring to utter a sound.

Only Empress Dowager Ciqing comforted her, saying, "The murderer who harmed Consort Wenzhao was likely silenced by Empress Feng long ago. Just now I saw that the wicked woman's temples were gray and her eyes were dark, which proves that she is indeed as the Crown Prince said, living in constant fear. Your Highness, let's wait patiently and wait for her to be punished little by little."

As Yuan Ke listened to these gentle words, which were exactly the same as when his mother had lectured him when he was a child, his eyes blurred with tears, and Ciqing's appearance transformed into that of his mother.

"Don't worry, Mother Fu, I'm not in a hurry. Mother Fu should also take good care of her health and spend more time with me, just like when she was in Pingcheng Palace. I know that Mother Fu wants to go to an outer temple to study scriptures and listen to the Dharma, but the fact that E Feng is forbidden from entering the palace is an important secret. If you leave the palace now, it will be easy for people with ulterior motives to use it to find out."

Ciqing: "I have heard that there is a nun named Sengzhi who was already famous in Pingcheng. Now she is opening a monastery in the capital to give lectures. That is why I have the idea of ​​leaving the palace. It is not urgent. I suppose Venerable Sengzhi will stay in Luoyang for a long time. I will ask her for Buddhist teachings when I have the opportunity in the future."

Yuan Ke nodded with a faint smile. He had recently reviewed all the case files in the Luoyang Office, and among the executed monks and nuns was Seng Zhi, whom Madam Fu had mentioned. His crime was impersonating a deity and promoting witchcraft. Madam Fu was old, so it was best not to mention Seng Zhi's death for the time being.

The Crown Prince ordered Xue Zhixiao to escort Ciqing back to the inner temple, and also ordered Zhao Xiu and Ru Hao: "Secretly investigate the inner temple to find out who is spreading rumors about the monk Zhi there? Who are the eunuchs who frequently travel between the inner temple and outside the palace?"

The vast majority of the nuns in the temples within the Imperial Palace were former palace women who had fallen out of favor during the Heisei Palace period. The only ones who could work for these nuns and have access to both inside and outside the Imperial Palace were eunuchs.

The Crown Prince's Palace is short of talent. Regardless of background, as long as someone is capable and talented, Yuan Ke is willing to promote them.

Furthermore, Prince Rencheng is currently searching far and wide for truly talented Confucian scholars to recruit and employ members of the imperial clan to teach the imperial academy and palace maids. This presents an opportune moment for various princes to place spies within the palace. How could he possibly miss such a golden opportunity?

The night fog seemed to remind Yuan Ke that in the hunting grounds of power, one must be both brave and cautious.

November 13th.

Pingcheng, Baideng Mountain.

A huge bear was surrounded by warriors who had followed the bear droppings and claw marks to this hillside.

Among these warriors were Governor Yuan and his party, Lu Luo and her son, and more than ten folk archers. The slope was too steep, and the ground was covered with rotten branches and tough vines, so no matter how many people there were, they could not stop the bear beast from charging around.

boom!
boom!
Those who were hit before they could dodge were instantly broken and screamed in agony. Many archers fired hastily without aiming properly. The thick-skinned black bear was hit by two arrows, but some warriors were also accidentally wounded by stray arrows.

Governor Yuan realized things were going badly; this bear might not be Black Whirlwind! The ferocious bear appeared frenzied, circling among the trees, but in reality, it attacked and bit him and Wei Mao the most!
The plan to save the son was devised by Yuan Zhi, so he could naturally figure out the reason. It must be that the beast slave who had previously disguised himself as him and Wei Mao, wearing his and Wei Mao's clothes, had his scent remembered by the bear.

If one plan fails, another can be devised; the most important thing is to prevent Wei Mao from getting hurt. Yuan Zhi ran close to Wei Mao and briefly explained the situation: "This is a real man-eating bear! Quickly, take your mother and get out of here!"

"What about you, godfather?"

"When hunting, the one who stays behind is naturally the bear!"

Man proposes, God disposes!

Lu Luo also intended to retreat. As she led her sons and servants down the slope, an even larger bear appeared, accompanied by a foul wind and bloody teeth.

"Two bears!"

"Watch out—"

The servant in front of Lu Luo was pounced on by the bear and his head was bitten off before he could even scream!
"Mao'er, run!" Lu Luo and several loyal servants fired arrows to provoke the giant bear's wrath and create a way out for Wei Mao.

Yuan Zhi ran towards it with all his might, his eyes wide with rage! He shot arrows as he ran, constantly shouting "beast!"

Ow—

Hey!
The two bears continued to roar.

Wei Mao lunged forward and caught his mother, the two barely dodging the giant bear's massive paws. A loyal servant cried out, trying to leap onto the bear's back, but the bear half-turned, and the poor servant was swept away several feet by its rump. Yuan Zhi's arrow struck the bear, but it was like an ordinary thorn, unable to seriously injure the giant bear at all.

The giant bear turned its massive body back, seemingly still intending to deal with the young man, Wei Mao, whose vital energy was the strongest, first.

Wei Mao got up and confronted him with a dagger.

Lu Luo pulled on the child with all her might: "No, let's go! We can't fight this beast! Governor Yuan, you should leave too!"

The guards arrived, but even a slight bump from the giant bear would result in injury. In this critical moment, they could only manage to escape in a split second. Lu Luo, Wei Mao, and Yuan Zhi were then pursued closely by the giant bear.

Lu Luo decided to abandon herself. She ran in one direction alone, cursing the bear's ancestors while throwing stones and mud at the beast.

But the giant bear leaped and pounced on Wei Mao and Governor Yuan.

Ow—

Its gaping maw could easily swallow two heads whole!
It’s over.

Wei Mao was still young, so he resigned himself to his fate and stood there dumbfounded.

In an instant, he felt dizzy and disoriented; it turned out that the Yuan governor was carrying him and rolling down the slope.

Yuan Zhi refused to accept his fate; he had prepared a backup plan, namely Zhao Zhi!

He knew Zhao Zhi must be nearby. Why wasn't she showing herself? Did she feel the time wasn't right? Or had something happened?
No matter what, he has to do everything he can to save himself!
Wei Mao struggled to speak, his voice strained from the pebbles beneath him: "If my godfather survives, tell my fellow disciple Wei Yao that I love her. If I can't marry her in this life, I'll find a way in the next."

The giant bear pounced on the two of them once again, as if a small mountain had fallen from the sky!

Yuan Zhi kicked hard, barely dodging Wei Mao once again while holding him, then kicked Wei Mao away: "Go, go tell your mother!"

Wei Mao picked up the fallen dagger, got up and brandished it. Luckily he did so, otherwise Yuan Zhi would have been hit by the giant bear's blow.

Wet mud flew everywhere.

Meanwhile, a helpless Lu Luo ran over, cursing as she watched helplessly as her son, reckless as he tried to stab the bear with a small dagger.

"Son--"

Yuanzhi pulled Wei Mao back again, and Wei Mao rolled around uncontrollably before being hugged by his mother.

The mother and son looked up in alarm, never expecting that the crisis had passed in just two breaths!
A warrior in plain clothes rode on the back of a giant bear, holding a short-handled iron hammer in each hand... crossed!
Black, red, and white things splattered everywhere amidst the terrifying sound of bones cracking.

As soon as the giant bear's carcass fell, the other man-eating bear that had just caught up turned tail and tried to run away. The warrior in plain clothes took three steps at a time, flying across the grass as he mounted the bear's back, using the same bear-killing technique.

"boom!"

Another bear carcass with its head shattered lay on the ground.

Zhao Zhi was dressed like the other folk archers, wearing a hood and a scarf to protect herself from the wind. She swung her hammer and smashed a bear paw off each of the two bear carcasses, saying in a hoarse voice, "This humble person dares not compete for more profit, I will take two bear paws."

Yuan Zhi pretended to be serious and said, "Warrior, you can leave your name with peace of mind, and then go to the camp outside the mountain to pick up these two bears."

"No need." Zhao Zhi quickly disappeared into the dense forest.

(End of this chapter)