Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 322 Chain Reaction, Fengxian Tower
Zhu Yijun's question echoed in the Golden Palace. He didn't give the officials below much time to react, and almost blurted out his thoughts all at once.

The decision was already set in stone; it was merely a formality of consulting with the court.

The deathly silence in the Golden Palace was finally broken after a long while.

An elderly minister with white hair and beard stepped forward first, bowed deeply, and kowtowed, his voice trembling slightly: "Your Majesty's ability to reflect on the past and make amends for past regrets is truly a blessing for the Ming Dynasty and the world! I second that proposal!"

After the first official spoke, many other officials followed suit, praising His Majesty's wisdom.

Xu Long, as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and a third-rank official, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty's move can not only reassure the hearts of your subjects, but also comfort the loyal souls on the border, and win the hearts of the people. It is truly a good strategy to consolidate the foundation and cultivate the vitality of the nation."

His words were full of courtly politeness, yet they clearly expressed his support.

"Edicts of self-reproach" are not particularly unusual.

Many emperors of the Ming Dynasty issued edicts of self-reproach, including the current emperor, who issued such an edict twenty years ago.

However, all the officials in the court knew that the edict of self-reproach issued in the 28th year of Wanli's reign was only issued because of the widespread famines and frequent peasant uprisings in various places, coupled with the turmoil in the court caused by the "succession crisis," leaving the emperor with no choice but to issue it.

The entire document was understated, merely a formality to appease the court and the public, a far cry from today's three edicts of self-reproach that directly address the core issues and reveal the true feelings of the people.

If these three edicts of self-reproach were truly promulgated throughout the land, they would surely cause a great uproar, thoroughly unearthing decades-old deep-seated cases and reshaping the perception of emperors among the court, the public, and the people.

Among the court officials, there were many veterans who had strongly supported the three major campaigns and even participated in the planning to confiscate Qi Jiguang's army.

But at this moment, they all tacitly chose to remain silent, and no one jumped out to refute them.

These people are all shrewd individuals who have navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades. How could they not see through the current situation? With the recent defeat at Sarhu, the Ming Dynasty has lost most of its elite troops, and the border defenses are already in grave danger.

With the sudden death of Wang An, the head of the Eastern Depot, the imperial court lost a powerful weapon to deter all factions, and various forces were stirring up trouble. The Ming Dynasty was at a critical juncture.

At this time, His Majesty's initiative to issue an edict of self-reproach, exonerate Zhang Juzheng, and clear the name of Qi Jiguang's army was by no means a bad thing.

This was to buy the beleaguered Ming Dynasty some breathing room, to let the common people see that the rulers of this country were not heartless and unwilling to admit their mistakes, that the Ming Dynasty could still be saved, and that the court still had some benevolence.

It should be understood that the people of this era were easily satisfied. As long as the emperor was willing to admit his mistakes and give justice to the loyal souls, he could appease many grievances and restore the trust of the court among the displaced people and the soldiers guarding the border.

No one objected.

Afterwards, the old emperor asked several more questions, including Xu Long's responsibility to investigate Wang An's death.

Xu Long also truthfully recounted the details of his deal with Chen Zhan, stating that he would do his utmost to investigate the Demonic Sect and that he had determined that the Demonic Sect had not gone far and was still around the capital. He believed that it would not be long before they were brought to justice.

To avenge Wang An, the eunuch, and to uphold the laws of the Ming Dynasty.

He then asked some questions about the frontier, mentioning the defeat to the Later Jin in the Liaodong region, which led to numerous chain reactions.

With tens of thousands of elite Ming troops wiped out, the Ming Dynasty was no longer able to organize large-scale offensives. It shifted from "active conquest" to "passive defense" and could only retreat to isolated cities such as Shanhaiguan and Ningyuan.

Afterwards, the Jin army's morale soared, and they marched south, and have now successively captured important towns in Liaodong such as Kaiyuan, Tieling, and Liaoyang.

They gradually gained control of the entire Liaodong region, thus exerting military pressure on the Ming Dynasty.

Although Zhu Yijun rarely attended court, he was not completely ignorant; he would still read some of the memorials.

However, the border issue cannot be resolved in a short time, so we can only hold onto Shanhaiguan.

After asking these questions, the court session ended. As soon as the officials left, several familiar ministers walked together, whispering and discussing the changes in His Majesty's demeanor that day.

Among the departing crowd, Xu Long stood out from the rest of the group. He neither chatted with familiar colleagues nor lingered. Instead, he took large strides and headed straight for the Eastern Depot.

Two vice ministers of the Ministry of Revenue saw that he was in a hurry and quickly stepped forward to stop him to discuss the changes in the court.

Xu Long merely glanced at the two of them indifferently, without stopping, and simply said, "I have official business to attend to, let's discuss it another day," before disappearing at the end of the palace road, leaving the two of them stunned in place.

In less than half an incense stick's time, Xu Long had already stepped into the East Depot's office. The guards at the gate were about to bow when they saw him, but he stopped them with a wave of his hand.

He barged into the inner room, shouted for Shen Tong to come over, and got straight to the point:
"And the one surnamed Chen?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Tong was taken aback at first, and subconsciously replied, "Senior Chen should still be in the archives checking files, right? He's been staying inside these past few days and hasn't come out."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a captain of the Imperial Guard rushed in, knelt on one knee, and reported:
"Sir! The archives are completely empty, and there's no message left behind!"

"boom!"

Xu Long slammed his palm on the table, and a crack instantly appeared on the solid wood table.

His aura suddenly erupted, like a thunder blade drawn from its sheath. The chilling pressure pressed down from the sky. Shen Tong and the several Imperial Guards beside him felt a tightness in their chests and even found it difficult to breathe. They all lowered their heads and dared not meet his gaze.

"He! He probably went to the palace!"

Xu Long's face was ashen, and his eyes flashed with a cold light that seemed to solidify.

Upon hearing this, Shen Tong looked up abruptly, his face paling with shock. He suddenly remembered what Chen Zhan had said earlier.

Chen Zhan had said he would go to the palace to ask about the whereabouts of the old emperor's relics. He was about to speak up to provide evidence when Xu Long preemptively explained.

"His Majesty looked much better today than he did a few days ago when he attended court!"

"The imperial physicians have treated him for so many years, using all the most precious medicines, but they haven't been able to improve his condition in the slightest. Yet, only three or four days have passed since I last received my orders from the palace, and he is already sitting on the dragon throne, governing with perfect clarity. This is simply illogical!"

At this point, Xu Long didn't need to say anything more; Shen Tong already understood.

Both sides knew the effects of the Buddha's relic, and what was Chen Zhan like before? He was critically injured and his body was so emaciated that he could hardly be considered human.

But now Chen Zhan has fully recovered his appearance and is full of energy. The emperor has also suddenly regained his strength, and even his long-standing injuries seem to have healed considerably.
"What is he trying to do?!" Xu Long was furious.

Chen Zhan's actions have crossed some of his bottom line. If Chen Zhan goes to the palace to treat the emperor's hidden injuries, it also means that Chen Zhan could kill him at any time.
The Emperor!

Shen Tong was silent for a moment, then said, "Commander, didn't you ask His Majesty or anyone close to him?"

Xu Long shook his head: "Sigh, His Majesty is like that, even if there are risks, he'd be willing to do it."

"How's your plan going? Quickly capture the members of the Demonic Sect and report back to His Majesty. You can also use this opportunity to test whether that Chen fellow is truly cooperating!"

"Yes, the news has been spread. Fengxian Restaurant is using relics as bait, so we can only fish with a straight hook. It all depends on whether our ambush is better or their methods are more sophisticated."

"The experts from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot have all been deployed, but it feels like we don't have enough people. Anyway, Senior Chen said he'll cover for us."

Shen Tong trusts Chen Zhan a lot in this regard; this isn't the first time they've worked together.

That's how King Yama killed him.

"Yes, you are in charge of this matter. I need to keep an eye on things inside the palace."

"Yes, Commander, rest assured."

Xu Long and Shen Tong finalized the plan to lure the enemy at Fengxian Restaurant and then went their separate ways.

The turmoil in the imperial court, following the issuance of three edicts of self-reproach, quickly swept across the entire capital.

In the afternoon, copies of the three edicts of self-reproach were posted on bulletin boards throughout the capital. Before the ink was even dry, crowds of people who had heard the news had already gathered around.

A large crowd gathered, and literate scholars were surrounded in the center, shouting as they read aloud word by word.

The illiterate people stood on tiptoe and listened carefully, and soon the streets and alleys were filled with discussions about the edict of self-reproach.

Some people were just there for the spectacle, marveling that an emperor would actually bow his head and admit his mistake.

Some people, however, had tears in their eyes, recalling the rumors of the Qi Family Army being wronged and the hardships they had endured under the heavy taxes of the past years, and murmured, "His Majesty still cares about the country; perhaps the Ming Dynasty really can be saved."

An old man stroked his beard, looked at the words on the notice board, and sighed, "It is already difficult for an emperor to admit such a mistake. What the people want is just a fair word."

The uproar was not only felt among the common people, but also spread throughout the residences of military officers in the capital.

In recent years, the Ming Dynasty has valued civil officials over military officials, and the status of military officers has always been awkward. When soldiers die on the frontier, the national treasury is often empty, and even the funeral expenses that should be paid in full are difficult to be paid. Many military officers have long harbored deep resentment about this.

Now, the imperial edict of self-reproach clearly states that the pensions for the soldiers who died in battle over the years will be made up. When the news spread, many military officers were moved to tears, grateful that the emperor still cared about the loyal souls on the frontier.

In a short time, the resentment of the military officials towards the imperial court subsided considerably.

Yuanlai Inn.

Ding Baiying was wiping the Qi family knife in her hand. The blade gleamed coldly, reflecting her thin but resolute face.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Ding Tai rushed in, his voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Master, you've been exonerated! You've been exonerated!"

Ding Baiying's handkerchief suddenly stopped, and the blade almost cut her fingertips.

She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief: "What? You've been exonerated?"

"The Qi Family Army, the Qi Family Army has been exonerated."

"His Majesty has issued an edict of self-reproach!"

As Ding Tai spoke, he handed over the notice in his hand, his voice becoming increasingly agitated.

Ding Baiying took it and glanced at it. There weren't many words on the notice, and she could see it at a glance.
The second crime was betraying Qi Jiguang's army. Not only was the charge of treason revoked, but the soldiers who died in battle were also posthumously honored and given pensions.

Even the chief minister Zhang was exonerated!

Ding Baiying took the copy of the report with trembling hands, her eyes fixed on the words "The Qi Family Army's crime of treason is unjust and should be exonerated." The images of her ten years of hard work instantly flooded her mind.

She stormed through countless government offices, paid homage to countless officials, endured countless cold stares and difficulties, and even nearly lost her life several times.

All for the sake of seeking justice for the Qi Family Army, who were wronged back then.

At that moment, a tear slid down without warning, dripping onto the blade of the Qi family knife and spreading out a small tear stain.

Ding Baiying's throat tightened, and after a long while, she finally said, "Ten years have passed, and we've finally waited for this!"

Then she remembered that four or five days ago, Chen Zhan had promised her that he would help the Qi family army clear their names.

But she never imagined it would be so fast, and she never thought Chen Zhan could actually do it. Back then, she was just trying anything, even if it was a hopeless situation.

Moreover, she hadn't yet completed the task Chen Zhan had entrusted to her.

In just a few days, they managed to recruit a few Black Stone assassins. People in the assassin profession are generally cautious and don't easily trust others.

At most, they can be lured with benefits; it's difficult for them to completely surrender.

Thinking of this, Ding Baiying felt a pang of guilt.

Chen Zhan agreed to her request and completed it completely in just five days, but her task of recruiting Black Stone assassins for Chen Zhan made little progress.

Just as I was still in a daze, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate again, this time even more hurried than before.

(End of this chapter)