Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 520: Men don't shed tears easily, but only when they are sad

royal palace.

West Garden.

A small table, densely covered with black and white chess pieces.

"Qi'er's skill in advancing and retreating is becoming increasingly adept," Emperor Yuankang said, holding a black chess piece in his hand with curiosity on his face. "Why has your chess skill improved so much?"

Across from him, Consort Qi covered her face and chuckled softly, then looked up at Emperor Yuankang: "Does Your Majesty really want to know?"

Emperor Yuan Kang nodded.

Consort Qi's smile faded slightly, replaced by a hint of melancholy.

"Since Yu Ruo helped me take over the Yu Yuan Trading Company, and seeing those girls becoming more and more outstanding, I have no shortage of wealth, and my mood is also very good."

"After a while, looking back, all those palace intrigues were nothing more than underhanded tactics used by petty women, which were really quite boring."

"Once I understood, I stopped arguing. Instead, I became more open-minded, and even my chess skills improved a lot."

"According to Yu Ruo, that's called vision."

Opposite him, Emperor Yuankang held a chess piece in his hand, his gaze fixed on Consort Qi's face.

After a moment of contemplation, he said in a low voice, "Is your lack of competitiveness a lack of favor, or a lack of ambition for the position?"

"Or are you reminding me that Zhang Qingyang's decision not to fight this time demonstrates great wisdom and a broad perspective?"

Consort Qi continued to smile, pointing repeatedly at the chessboard in front of her: "Your Majesty, regardless of whether you want to go first or not, you've been using talking to delay making a move for so long, which means you'll lose."

Seemingly exposed, Emperor Yuankang coughed lightly and casually placed a chess piece on the chessboard.

"Hmph, do you think I don't know? Given Zhang Qingyang's relationship with Yu Ruo, you all want to protect him too."

"Gongsun Jingguan was sent by Yun Chan, right? We need to see Zhang Qingyang's character, don't we?"

"She invested all her savings in Yuyuan Trading Company and has made a lot of money in the past two years. She is afraid that Yu Ruo has entrusted her money to the wrong person and that her money will be lost."

Emperor Yuankang's words at this moment lacked the majesty of an emperor, and instead became more about everyday matters, which made Consort Qi's smile even wider.

Emperor Yuankang looked up at Consort Qi. Consort Qi was slightly taken aback. For some reason, her face turned red, and she lowered her head, placing the chess piece in an off-center position.

With this one move, Black's precarious situation was completely resolved.

"Qi'er, that was a brilliant move. Are you reminding me that the outcome of a game of chess actually happens outside the board?"

"Then I'll take a gamble with you and see what Zhang Qingyang will do."

"I bet he won't release them. If I lose, I'll grant you one request."

"If I win, you must follow my orders."

Consort Qi's fingertips trembled, but she remained silent.

Emperor Yuankang's gamble clearly meant that, regardless of the outcome, she was the biggest winner.

If Marquis Qingyang releases the prisoners, Emperor Yuankang will lose. She can use this request to persuade His Majesty not to blame Zhang Yuan.

The Marquis of Qingyang refused to release the person, so Emperor Yuankang won. She actually knew what His Majesty meant by the arrangement.

She hadn't expected Emperor Yuankang to cherish her so much, and for a moment she was lost in thought.

"Hurry up and make your move! I've bet three thousand taels of silver on this game. Qi'er, you're now incredibly wealthy; it's time for you to rob the rich and help the poor," Emperor Yuankang urged from the other side.

……

Imperial City.

Political Hall.

These past few days, because the Ministry of Rites arranged for officials to conduct self-examinations, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Works, several ministers have been handling official business in the Palace Administration Hall.

Normally, the Hall of State Affairs mainly consisted of several Grand Secretaries drafting imperial edicts for the emperor, as well as the Privy Council holding deliberations.

"Brother Qingguang, who among you persuaded Hengqu to go to the Zhentian Division?" Wang Anzhi, the Minister of Rites, walked in from outside the door and looked at Sima Qingguang and Du Ruhui, who were bent over their desks.

The two looked up and exchanged a glance.

"Hengqu went to the Zhen Tian Si?" Sima Qingguang looked puzzled and said in a low voice, "Is someone trying to use him to incite a conflict between the civil and military officials?"

"It's unlikely. Hengqu wouldn't do that. He probably just doesn't trust those students and instructors from the Imperial Academy to be detained in the Zhen Tian Si." Du Ruhui waved his hand and said softly.

Seeing their expressions, Wang Anzhi frowned, walked to the desk, and lowered his voice: "We understand Hengqu, but we can't see through that Marquis of Qingyang..."

In the hall, Sima Qingguang nodded and sighed softly, "I hope he can handle this matter properly."

"On the other hand, the position of head of the Martial Defense Division has been vacant for so many years, isn't it just because that position is difficult to hold?"

“Even the commander of the Black Ice Platform has an easier time in this position.”

The Black Ice Guard is a complex and multifaceted organization, with its operations operating both overtly and covertly, often making it indistinguishable from the imperial court and government offices.

But the Zhen Tian Division, especially the Wu Yu Division, is a place that uses force to suppress the world.

The Martial Guard requires not only formidable combat strength, but also exceptional control skills and a willingness to kill.

However, excessive killing will inevitably backfire and cause dissatisfaction in the court.

This is a dead end.

Only those who truly earn the emperor's trust can sit in that position.

"Let's see, this hurdle won't be easy to overcome," Wang Anzhi sighed softly.

Zhentiansi.

When the group of students and teachers, dressed in disheveled clothes, thin in stature, and looking dejected, saw Zhang Hengqu, they all stared in disbelief.

Inside the blue stone cage, the students slowly stood up. Even though they were swaying precariously, they straightened their clothes and bowed to Zhang Hengqu.

"Student, student, Gu Fan, pays respects to the headmaster."

Although the student's clothes were faded and his face was pale, he appeared calm.

"Disciple Liu Changfeng greets Headmaster."

The bowing instructor was over forty years old and had a solemn expression.

"Master, I am ashamed that you have come to such a place, such a prison, in person..."

The disheveled scholar looked up, his face filled with shame.

"Headmaster, I... I... they coerced and bribed me, I... I didn't say anything." The young man in the brocade robe clenched his fist, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Headmaster, Headmaster, why did you take so long to arrive..." The young man, slumped on the ground, was in tears.

The man did not shed tears, but he did not go to the sad place.

At this moment, I feel more than just heartbroken.

I'm even hungrier.

Baili Xi clenched his fists, and the power of his blood and qi surged slowly around his body.

"Zhang Qingyang, you used torture to extract confessions from the Zhen Tian Division and punished someone without cause. My Imperial Academy will take this case to the Qianyang Palace!" Gongsun Jingguan gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling.

Zhang Hengqu slowly narrowed his eyes, and the righteous power of a grandmaster of Confucianism and Taoism slowly condensed on his body, and the shadow of a mountain appeared.

His expression was calm, and the space around him seemed to be distorted.

"Lord Qingyang, that's enough."

"Om-"

The twenty-eight bronze pillars of the Heavenly Suppression Bureau resounded, and a beam of light shot into the sky, instantly unfolding the Demon-Suppressing Array.

The bloodthirsty aura surged violently, and countless beams of light and shadow floated throughout the entire Zhen Tian Division.

Grandmaster.

Great master!
The divine senses of the four Grandmasters trembled slightly, intersecting from all four directions to seal off the entire Zhen Tian Division.

At this moment, countless people in the imperial city turned their heads to look in the direction of the Zhen Tian Si (Heavenly Guard).

"That, that is, the Demon-Suppressing Formation..."

Inside the palace, Emperor Yuankang held a chess piece in his hand, his eyes revealing a deep gaze.

In the Hall of State Affairs, Sima Qingguang and others looked up, their faces showing worry.

Outside the Zhen Tian Si, all the figures in the pavilion rushed to the window, their faces beaming with joy.

In the Zhen Tian Si (a military unit).

Zhang Yuan remained calm, waved his hand, and said indifferently, "It's rare for Mr. Hengqu to come to Zhentian Division. You all must be feeling stifled locked up in this prison."

"Let me show you all around the Zhen Tian Division."

"Ordinary people don't have this opportunity."

After saying that, he turned and walked out.

Zhang Hengqu remained expressionless, his righteous aura slightly subsided, and he followed Zhang Yuan out with his hands behind his back.

Several jailers went to open the cell door.

The imprisoned students and teachers helped each other out.

A student stumbled and almost fell.

Baili Xi stepped forward to support him, lowering his voice: "Gentlemen, do not lose the integrity of us scholars and be looked down upon by that Marquis of Qingyang."

Everyone nodded, their faces pale, and they straightened their posture.

Gongsun Jingguan gave a low snort and strode out, followed slowly by the others. They walked out of the cell and saw the sunlight outside.

Zhang Yuan strode forward.

The direction they were heading was the eighteen-level prison of the Underworld, the Yellow Springs Palace.

Yin Jiuyou, who had quietly arrived, smiled slightly and winked at the person in front of him.

Several shadowy figures vanished.

A moment later, when Zhang Yuan and his group stopped, what came into view was a dark and gloomy doorway.

A bone-chilling cold swept out from the open doorway, mixed with the smells of decay, blood, and inhuman screams of agony.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Yellow Springs Prison." Yin Jiuyou stood by the gate, looking at the students and teachers of the Imperial Academy with a chilling smile on his face.

(End of this chapter)