Chapter 119

Chapter 119

The Upstairs Tea House in the West Gate of the Imperial Palace.

Two elders disguised as commoners, one tall and solemn, the other wrinkled and cunning.

"I wonder if Jiu Xiao will succeed."

"Rest assured, with Jiu Xiao's skills, even the imperial guards of the previous dynasty couldn't stop him."

"Alas, all these years, we've trained nearly a hundred children, but only Jiu Xiao qualified. The rest perished. This time, we must succeed!"

"No problem. Ten days ago, I gave Jiu Xiao final instructions on how to proceed. Tonight, we wait for the news."

The two elders flashed worried looks, but soon became determined and resolute.

Recalling the inhumane training process, many children couldn't endure until the end. Only Jiu Xiao persisted.

Jiu Xiao could endure what ordinary people couldn't.

He was the chosen assassin!

"Yes, we wait. Tonight, we'll surely receive news of the death of Xiao Yunzhou, the Emperor of Jing Country."

The elders clinked their teacups filled with tea.

The Earth and Moon Sect, no, their imperial clan would soon rise again.

Just wait...

Wait until the moon rises above the willow branches, wait until the tea house customers leave, wait until the curfew bell echoes in the streets...

The two elders had drained three pots of tea!

Glancing at each other, they were getting anxious, yet there was no news of chaos in the palace, the city gates opening, or soldiers surrounding the palace walls as expected!

"What's going on? Hasn't the Lantern Festival banquet ended yet?"

"It shouldn't be."

"Perhaps the deed is done, but the news is suppressed."

"Makes sense, let's keep waiting! It must be soon!"

Wait some more...

The two elders took turns visiting the outhouse and drank the fourth pot of tea.

Even the tea house was about to close—

Finally, they saw armored soldiers rushing out from the palace, and they were surrounded.

"Drinking tea and whispering late at night, you two come with us."

"???"

*

"Please reconsider, Your Majesty."

The Lantern Festival banquet had ended inside the palace.

The Minister of War, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Justice were all in Xiao Yunzhou's study.

"Arresting people without evidence, and the targets were just two elderly tea drinkers. Isn't that unfair?" Zhang Wei, the Minister of Justice, always acted by the law and disapproved of the Ministry of War's actions today, mobilizing troops to arrest two civilians at a tea house without reason.

"Your Majesty, do you have any evidence of their crimes?" Zhang Wei glared at the Minister of War.

Ever since the Emperor introduced down jackets and instant noodles, following the advice of the Minister of War, who was close like wearing the same pants as the Duke of Dingguo, Zhang Wei felt the Emperor was being unreasonable.

[Mmm...]

Xiao Chuchu felt something tickling her face and sleepily opened a slit of her eyes. Seeing a familiar face, she struggled to close them again and blew a small bubble.

Xiao Yunzhou was utterly charmed by his daughter's adorable attempt to open her eyes but failing, and stopped the wet nurse from moving. He took a handkerchief and wiped his daughter's little mouth himself.

[I must be dreaming, meow, why am I dreaming about the Emperor father...]

Xiao Chuchu thought she was dreaming.

She closed her eyes to continue sleeping, mumbling in her heart.

[Speaking of dreams, I almost forgot, the Earth and Moon Sect brainwashed their followers by claiming the sect leader dreamed of a stone statue inscribed with 'Restore the Imperial Rule.' Since then, the core followers carved the word 'Restore' on their backs.]

Xiao Yunzhou: "!"

[Meow... That stone statue is still there... It's near the East Gate, I think.]

[They originally planned that if they received good news at the tea house today, they would immediately dig it out and carry out their grand scheme of 'Restoring the Imperial Rule.']

[Meow, they have people in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice... Some of them even hold high ranks...]

"!"

Xiao Yunzhou's eyes widened, and he stood up abruptly.

What?

The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice, both have traitors!?

*

In the Imperial Study.

"Preposterous! The Emperor cannot win an argument against this old minister, so he goes to appease his daughter?" said Zhang Wei, the Minister of Justice, fuming. He turned and strode out without waiting for the Emperor.

"This old minister will not wait for Your Majesty any longer. I'm going home."

Outside the Imperial Study, a few young ministers were standing.

Among them was a tall and handsome young man who held the sixth-rank position of Assistant Minister of the Right at the Ministry of Justice.

Seeing Zhang Wei emerge, he hurried to greet him, "Minister Zhang, did His Majesty agree to release them?"

Zhang Wei shook his head in silence.

The handsome Assistant Minister of the Right frowned in distress.

"Minister Zhang, if those two elders are not released tonight, what are we to do tomorrow when their families come demanding their release?"

Zhang Wei furrowed his brow. "Don't worry. His Majesty has been thinking a lot about the people lately. His outburst today was momentary. Perhaps he will come around and agree to release them tomorrow."

"If not, I will petition again tomorrow."

"Surely His Majesty would not order them to be tortured for interrogation?"

"Of course not. Even the Emperor must maintain face! Just as the Imperial Guards must act according to the law, so must the Ministry of Justice!"

The handsome young man's eyes brightened with relief.

But they had only taken three or four steps when an eunuch's voice rang out from behind them!

"The Emperor is here! His Majesty wishes to go to the Ministry of Justice prison himself to interrogate the teahouse elders in person!"

"And...no one from the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Justice is permitted to leave!"

The handsome young Assistant Minister of the Right looked momentarily flustered.