jdhmnovel Chapter 314 Imperial City
Chapter 314 Imperial City
In the height of summer in the Nanzhao Kingdom, cicadas chirped incessantly. Fifteen-year-old Xiao Chengjun, dressed in a short blue cloth jacket with a straw rope casually tied around his waist, disguised himself as an ordinary boy and quietly left the palace with his guard, A Lie. He had heard of the chaos at the western docks of the city and decided to investigate himself.
The scorching sun beat down on the cobblestone path, the air thick with the mingled stench of sweat and fish. Chengjun had barely stepped onto the dock when he saw a commotion in the crowd ahead. Pushing through the onlookers, he saw a one-eyed, burly man grabbing an old fisherman by the collar, snarling, "Old Wang, you're still trying to delay your protection money this month? Believe me or not, I'll smash your lousy boat!" The old fisherman, his face filled with sorrow, pleaded in a trembling voice, "Master Liu, I really haven't caught any fish this month, please give me a little more time..."
"Grace period? My brothers are all waiting to eat!" The one-eyed burly man shoved the old man to the ground, and several of his henchmen immediately surrounded him, punching and kicking him. Sighs rose from the crowd, but no one dared to step forward to stop them.
"Stop!" Chengjun roared, his anger blazing, and strode forward. A'lie tried to stop him, but it was too late; he could only grip the sword at his waist and warily follow behind. The one-eyed burly man, seeing someone step forward, sized Chengjun up and down, and sneered, "Where did this brat come from, daring to meddle in my business?"
"Bullying ordinary people in broad daylight, do you have any regard for the law?" Cheng Jun's voice was deep, his eyes filled with authority. The burly man was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild laughter: "The law? In this western dock of the city, I am the law! Brothers, beat him to death!" Before he finished speaking, several henchmen rushed over, wielding clubs.
Ah Lie swiftly stepped in front of Cheng Jun, drawing his sword to fight the thugs. Cheng Jun, who had practiced martial arts since childhood, was not to be outdone, picking up a wooden stick from the ground and joining the battle. He was agile, wielding the stick with great force, and quickly knocked two thugs to the ground. Seeing this, the one-eyed strongman drew a dagger from his waist and viciously stabbed at Cheng Jun.
At the critical moment, a sharp shout rang out: "Stop right there!" A troop of soldiers rushed in, led by Zhang Meng, the commander of the city defense battalion. It turned out that Zhang Meng had received intelligence that some thugs were causing trouble at the western docks, so he led his men there. Upon seeing the soldiers, the thugs scattered like birds, and the one-eyed strongman tried to escape, but was kicked to the ground by A Lie.
Zhang Meng recognized Cheng Jun and quickly bowed, "Your Highness, what brings you here?" The onlookers then realized that the young man before them was the Crown Prince, and they all knelt and kowtowed. Cheng Jun quickly helped them up and inquired about the old fisherman's injuries with concern. The old fisherman, tears streaming down his face, grasped Cheng Jun's hand and said, "Thank you so much, Your Highness, for saving my life! These thugs have long occupied the dock, extorting protection money; we common people have suffered terribly!"
Cheng Jun, his expression grave, calmed the people down and then followed Zhang Meng to the city defense camp. After interrogation, the one-eyed strongman confessed that the mastermind behind them was Zhao Yuanba, the son of a wealthy merchant from the south of the city. This man, relying on his father's connections in the court, had been running rampant at the western docks, oppressing and exploiting the people.
Chengjun immediately decided to go to the Zhao residence himself. At the gates of the Zhao residence, imposing stone lions stood guard, and the vermilion gates were tightly shut. Chengjun stepped forward and knocked. The gatekeeper, seeing two ordinary-looking young men, impatiently said, "What are you doing here? The Zhao residence is not a place for you!"
"We want to see Zhao Yuanba." Chengjun's tone was calm but unquestionable. The gatekeeper sneered, "How dare you call our young master by his name? Get out of here!" He then tried to close the door. A Lie was furious and kicked the door open, and the group barged in.
Zhao Yuanba was drinking and making merry in the garden when someone barged in. He was furious: "Who is this madman who dares to trespass on the Zhao residence!" When he saw who it was, he was startled, but he still tried to remain calm: "It is Your Highness the Crown Prince. May I ask what brings you here?"
Cheng Jun's gaze was piercing as he stared directly at Zhao Yuanba: "Zhao Yuanba, do you know your crime? You harbored thugs, oppressed the people at the West City Wharf, and extorted protection money. What is your punishment?" Cold sweat broke out on Zhao Yuanba's forehead, but he argued, "Your Highness, this is all a misunderstanding. Someone must be maliciously slandering me!"
"Misunderstanding?" Chengjun sneered, gesturing for Zhang Meng to bring the one-eyed burly man forward. Upon seeing his master, the one-eyed burly man immediately knelt down and begged for mercy: "Young master, save me! His Highness the Crown Prince already knows everything!" Zhao Yuanba's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he collapsed to the ground.
Chengjun ordered Zhao Yuanba and his cronies to be imprisoned, and then personally went to the western dock of the city. He announced the abolition of all unreasonable fees and that the imperial court would send people to manage the dock and protect the interests of the people. The people cheered and shouted "Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Back in the palace, Xiao Nanyi heard about the matter and looked at his son with satisfaction: "Jun'er, well done! As the crown prince, you should care about the people and rid them of harm. However, in the future, when you go on incognito visits, you must not take such risks." Chengjun nodded solemnly: "Your subject understands, but seeing the people suffer, I really cannot stand idly by."
The autumn rain in Nanzhao Kingdom drizzled down, washing the bluestone pavement of the capital city until it shone. Xiao Chengjun, holding an oil-paper umbrella, mingled in the bustling crowd. This time, he was disguised as a scholar, traveling through the city with his guard A Lie, intending to observe the people's conditions. However, he was stopped in his tracks by a few hushed whispers outside a teahouse.
"Have you heard? The newly allocated disaster relief grain from the Ministry of Revenue has only bran mixed with sand left by the time it reaches us!" In a corner, an old man in patched hemp clothes slammed his teacup down. "The officials in charge of the transport said that Zhou Mingyuan's nephew, the Vice Minister of Revenue, embezzled the lion's share!"
"Silence!" The tea drinker next to him hurriedly grabbed his hand, glancing warily around. "Minister Zhou is a favorite of His Majesty. His nephew, Zhou Shi'an, relies on his uncle's power, and even the prefect has to show him respect! Last month, the granary in the west of the city caught fire, and it burned all the new rice..."
Before he could finish speaking, Chengjun's grip on the umbrella ribs suddenly tightened until they turned white. Alie noticed his master's unusual behavior and subtly pulled him into the shadows. Amidst the sound of rain, the two exchanged a glance and quietly followed the tea drinkers.
After passing through three alleys, Chengjun witnessed a shocking scene in a dilapidated ancestral hall: a dozen or so disaster victims huddled around moldy bran cakes, and several children cried from hunger. The old man at the head of the group was the same old man who had spoken in the teahouse. Upon seeing strangers intrude, he immediately grabbed a wooden stick: "Are you Zhou Shi'an's men?"
“Uncle, we’re just passing by.” Chengjun took off his straw hat and glanced at the tragic scene in the ancestral hall. “I heard at the teahouse that the relief grain was being embezzled, so I came to see for myself.” He took out a silver ingot from his sleeve. “This little bit of money is enough to buy some food for the children.”
The old man stared at the silver, then suddenly burst into tears: "Kind people! Of the rice and grain distributed by the prefecture last month, only 30% reached us; the rest was all taken by Zhou Shi'an's men! I heard he even forged account books, and even the government dared not investigate..."
Chengjun clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms. That night, he and Alie sneaked into the granary in the west of the city. Under the moonlight, the outer walls of the granary were charred black, but the soldiers on night watch were fast asleep. The two climbed over the high wall and discovered a shocking secret in the abandoned cellar—piles of new rice wrapped in oil paper, and in the corner, there were still fake account books that had not been destroyed, with the words "disaster grain loss" still wet in the ink, glaringly obvious.
"Ah Lie, go and inform the Dali Temple immediately!" Chengjun stuffed the account book into his robes. "This matter must be reported to Father Emperor immediately!"
The next morning, Chengjun rushed to the palace with the evidence. Inside the imperial study, Xiao Nanyi looked at the account books his son presented, his face terribly grim: "Zhou Mingyuan has served in the Ministry of Revenue for ten years, and I have trusted him so much..." He suddenly looked up, "Jun'er, do you know what the consequences will be if something goes wrong while you are investigating a high-ranking official on your own?"
"Your subject is willing to accept punishment." Chengjun knelt on the ground. "But seeing the people suffering from hunger and cold, your subject cannot sit idly by. These account books are sufficient to prove that Zhou Mingyuan and his nephew embezzled a huge amount of money, and also forged documents and destroyed evidence. Their crimes are unforgivable!"
After a long silence, Xiao Nanyi finally gave the order: "Summon Zhou Mingyuan to the palace immediately! The Court of Judicial Review, in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, shall thoroughly investigate this case!"
The news sent shockwaves through the court. Zhou Mingyuan continued to deny everything in the imperial palace until the Minister of Justice presented the account books, at which point he collapsed to the ground. Even more shocking was the discovery of gold and silver piled high in his mansion, half of which had come from embezzled military pay.
"Your Majesty! This was all the work of my good-for-nothing nephew. I knew nothing about it!" Zhou Mingyuan kowtowed repeatedly. Xiao Chengjun stepped forward and sneered, "Minister Zhou, do you still remember what you said in the morning court last year: 'Disaster relief is the foundation of the nation. Anyone who dares to touch the food rations of disaster victims is an enemy of the world'? Now, those words sound like a huge irony!"
The case ultimately ended with Zhou Mingyuan being dismissed from his post and his property confiscated, and Zhou Shi'an being beheaded and his head displayed to the public. Upon hearing the news, the people spontaneously burned incense in the streets to celebrate.
On a midsummer night in the Nanzhao Kingdom, the Milky Way cascaded like silver, and the lotus pond outside the Jiaofang Palace shimmered with golden light. Water lilies unfurled their luminous white petals under the moonlight. Xiao Nanyi finished reviewing the last memorial, rubbed his temples, and looked up at the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window—these were Xiangfei bamboos planted by Lin Wanqing herself, rustling in the night breeze like her gentle whispers.
"Your Majesty, it's time for your meal," a personal eunuch gently reminded him, holding a food box. Xiao Nanyi waved his hand, stood up, and put on his black brocade robe. "No need to serve the meal. I'll go to the Jiaofang Palace." Before he finished speaking, he had already started walking in the familiar direction.
Inside the Jiaofang Palace, Lin Wanqing leaned against the chaise longue, embroidering by the light of a palace lantern. Bright yellow silk threads outlined the shape of twin lotus blossoms on the plain silk, the stitches as fine as stars scattered across the night sky. Hearing footsteps, she subconsciously looked up and saw Xiao Nanyi, shrouded in darkness, stepping into the palace. A smile unconsciously crept onto her lips: "Why are you so late today?"
“The Northwest military report was delayed by a bit.” Xiao Nanyi took off his outer robe and sat down beside her, his gaze falling on the embroidery hoop. “Are you working hard again? These hands need more rest.” As he spoke, he reached out and covered her hand holding the needle, his fingertips gently stroking the thin calluses on her palms that had formed from years of embroidery.
Lin Wanqing's cheeks flushed slightly, and she tried to pull her hand away: "Your Majesty is of noble birth, why bother with such rough work?" Xiao Nanyi held her even tighter and pulled her into his arms: "In my eyes, these are hands that can weave beautiful landscapes." His warm breath brushed against her ear, causing a fine blush to rise on her neck.
A sudden night breeze swept through the hall, causing the candlelight to flicker violently. Lin Wanqing hurriedly protected her embroidery, saying, "Stop fooling around! Be careful not to blow out the lamp!" Xiao Nanyi, however, smiled and rose, taking a gilded palace lantern from the antique shelf. Inside the glass lampshade, nine silver dragons coiled around the lamppost. The moment the candle was lit, the dragon shadows danced across the walls, casting a dreamlike glow throughout the hall.
"This is a newly made 'coiled dragon lantern' from the Ministry of Works. I originally intended to send it over for the Mid-Autumn Festival." Xiao Nanyi placed the lantern in front of his bed. "But I couldn't wait and wanted to please the Empress first." Lin Wanqing gazed at the swirling dragon shadow, her eyes softening. "Your Majesty is so busy with state affairs, yet you still think of these things..."
"No matter how busy you are, you can't neglect the Empress." Xiao Nanyi took her hand and kissed it lightly. "Do you remember when you first entered the palace, you got lost in the Imperial Garden and ended up carrying a stray cat around like a guard?" This made Lin Wanqing chuckle. "Back then, I thought the bell on the cat's collar was a guard's pendant. Now that I think about it..."
"Now that you think about it?" Xiao Nanyi raised an eyebrow, his fingertips tracing her flushed cheeks. Lin Wanqing suddenly leaned closer and quickly pecked him on the lips: "Now that I think about it, it was fate that deliberately let me meet Your Majesty." Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and hid behind the screen, only revealing half of her blushing face.
Xiao Nanyi chuckled and followed, only to find an exquisite food box behind the screen. Lifting the lid, he saw the four characters "Chang Le Wei Yang" (meaning "Eternal Happiness") arranged in candied fruit, with freshly baked plum blossom pastries in the center. "I know His Majesty is too busy to eat," Lin Wanqing said, handing him jade chopsticks. "Try it; there's less icing sugar this time than last time."
As the pastry melted in his mouth, Xiao Nanyi recalled countless nights like this—she would always place warm soup on his desk, silently keeping him company when he was troubled by state affairs. At this moment, the chirping of insects outside the palace gradually subsided, with only the candlelight flickering gently, illuminating the newly changed pearl hairpin in her hair.
"How about you accompany me to the hunting grounds tomorrow?" Xiao Nanyi suddenly spoke up. "I heard that the new animal trainer has trained a few spirit foxes. I would like to take the Empress to see them." Lin Wanqing's eyes lit up: "Really? The last time I saw a white fox was when..." Before she could finish speaking, a child's cry suddenly came from outside the hall.
The wet nurse rushed over, carrying the little prince: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the little prince is crying incessantly for some reason." Xiao Nanyi immediately got up and took the child, gently patting his back: "Don't be afraid, your father is here." Miraculously, the little prince gradually calmed down in his arms and even reached out to grab the jade pendant at his waist.
Seeing this, Lin Wanqing smiled and said, "Everyone says that royal fathers and sons are naturally distant, but our child is most attached to His Majesty." Xiao Nanyi looked down at his son's sleeping face, then looked at her and said, "If it weren't for the Empress managing the household so well, how could I have the mind to govern the country?"