SBMT Chapter 60

Estimating the timing, Shen Ziqin moved directly to the Flying Tiger Gang’s territory to stay.

 

He had the guards take Dongning to hide elsewhere, but people remained at the estate, coming and going every day, as if everything was normal and both masters were still living there.

 

Except for Bai Junxing, all other visiting cards were rejected. Bai Junxing would bring poetry collections or paintings, stay for just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and then leave.

 

The smoke screen was very effective; Magistrate Cao had no idea that Shen Ziqin and Dongning had already fled.

 

The idea of Shen Ziqin staying in the bandit hideout made not only Flying Tiger uneasy, but also terrified the guards.

 

The marquis was too bold!

 

When he had previously ventured into the bandit den with only Hei Ying and Bai Xiao, they had both admired Shen Ziqin’s composure while breaking out in a cold sweat. They thought the excitement would last just one night, but little did they know that even more thrilling events lay ahead.

 

Hei Ying had tried to persuade Shen Ziqin to hide with Dongning, but Shen Ziqin said this approach was more convincing-to play the role completely, which would also make later explanations easier.

 

Hei Ying knew Shen Ziqin was clever, but he had never realized before that the little marquis was so unconventional in his actions, with courage that could reach the heavens.

 

He had previously thought only his prince would dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun.

 

He had been narrow-minded; no wonder these two made such a good match.

 

Although they had chosen a well-connected position in the hideout that would allow them to escape with Shen Ziqin if anything went wrong, when the master put himself at risk, the guards naturally had endless worries.

 

Seeing the guards’ concern, Shen Ziqin actually felt quite apologetic: he knew the original story, but the guards didn’t. They couldn’t simply define the Flying Tiger Gang with the word “good,” so they remained extremely vigilant.

 

But since Shen Ziqin couldn’t reveal his foreknowledge, he entrusted the selection of locations, defenses, and escape route planning to Hei Ying and Yin Lie, letting the professionals handle it to set their minds at ease.

 

Flying Tiger was a burly man with an imposing physique. In terms of size, he was about two Chu Zhaos larger than Shen Ziqin. Logically, when standing in front of Shen Ziqin, he should have been quite intimidating.

 

But the situation was actually reversed.

 

Since Shen Ziqin had set up camp here, Flying Tiger came three times a day, each time anxiously rubbing his hands and asking: “Has Prince Qin arrived yet?”

 

Shen Ziqin: “Soon, soon.”

 

Flying Tiger tried to put on an air of confidence, but his expression and eyes couldn’t hide his feelings-the words “restless anxiety” might as well have been welded to his face.

 

“We won’t all be wiped out together, right? I haven’t mistreated you at all!”

 

Shen Ziqin responded patiently: “Don’t worry, you’ll be granted amnesty and return to honest citizenship. When you meet Chu Zhao, just recite the words I taught you. Have you memorized them?”

 

Flying Tiger wiped his face: “I recite them even in my dreams.”

 

Shen Ziqin thought: Uh, it’s just a few sentences, surely not that difficult?

 

Flying Tiger shook his leg and lowered his voice: “I’ve heard that Prince Qin loves killing people-at least three meals of killing a day. He’s uncomfortable if he doesn’t kill, and he even twists off his enemies’ heads to kick around like balls… is that true?”

 

Shen Ziqin: “…”

 

Wait, have rumors spread so ridiculously far from the capital? They’re practically describing Chu Zhao as a demon!

 

Shen Ziqin was speechless. Before he could respond, Bai Xiao jumped up beside him: “Nonsense!”

 

“The prince only kills enemies, never innocent people. How could he defend the border without killing? Who enjoys seeing bloody scenes all day!”

 

Flying Tiger remained silent. Shen Ziqin patted Bai Xiao’s head to calm the bristling child, then reassured Flying Tiger: “Chu Zhao isn’t that kind of person. Rumors are often biased. I am… I am his consort. Could outsiders know him better than I do?”

 

Saying he was Chu Zhao’s consort… was still a bit embarrassing. Shen Ziqin suppressed his fluttering thoughts and tried to focus on the matter at hand: “Look, I’m even-tempered, right? Chu Zhao also has a good temperament-reasonable and easy to talk to, not frightening at all.”

 

Flying Tiger: “But…”

 

Shen Ziqin: “Rest assured, no one understands Prince Qin better than I do.”

 

After hearing this, Flying Tiger became even more uneasy. He muttered: “…but I think you’re pretty scary yourself.”

 

Shen Ziqin didn’t hear clearly: “Hmm?”

 

Bai Xiao tattled: “Marquis, he said you’re scary.”

 

Shen Ziqin was taken aback: “I’m scary? How am I scary?” He looked at Bai Xiao. “Am I scary?”

 

“Of course not!” Bai Xiao shook his head vigorously, then cupped his face and said, “If anything, you’re scary beautiful!”

 

Shen Ziqin smiled and patted his head: Wait, how did this child learn such cheesy compliments without a teacher?

 

Hei Ying, never far from his blade, watched from the side, thinking that the marquis was indeed quite frightening.

 

Barging into a bandit den without hesitation-they were terrified!

 

He turned his head and noticed that Yin Lie, the Embroidered Uniform Guard commander, was nodding deeply, his eyes filled with the same thoughts.

 

The two men exchanged glances, both shedding tears of hardship:

 

Brother, it’s not easy!

 

*

 

Chu Zhao rushed to the southern border troops’ garrison, selected three thousand soldiers, and marched grandly toward Yuzhou.

 

The southern border commander desperately wanted to go with Chu Zhao, but without a summons, he couldn’t leave his post. He had to let his deputy commander take this excellent assignment.

 

The deputy commander, surnamed Nan, had never served under Chu Zhao before but had heard various battlefield legends about him. He admired Chu Zhao immensely and eagerly followed along.

 

Yuzhou was indeed a place with a pleasant climate. On this day, the sky was clear and the breeze gentle. The soldiers guarding the city wall were basking comfortably in the sun, feeling drowsy, when a distant commotion arose.

 

The dozing soldiers’ heads jerked up: Hmm?

 

With another jerk, they were fully awake.

 

The dark mass pressing in from the horizon was all men!

 

Visually estimating at least a thousand troops rapidly advancing toward Yuzhou, even the drowsiest guard would wake up. The soldiers on the tower immediately shouted: “Large unknown force approaching! Quickly report to the prefect and commander! Close the city gates, close the city gates!”

 

The sound of hoofbeats was disciplined, pounding the ground like drums, raising clouds of dust. At the front rode a man on a white horse with a silver saddle, his posture straight as a pine. The city guards reacted quickly-the heavy city gates had barely closed when thousands of troops arrived before the city.

 

Chu Zhao reined in his horse, and his orders were strictly followed. The soldiers behind him also stopped, forming neat ranks. Despite their rapid advance, there was no disorder, showing excellent training.

 

This was clearly an elite force from somewhere.

 

The city guards swallowed hard: “Who goes there?”

 

Chu Zhao didn’t answer. One of his personal guards stepped forward, holding the imperial edict and the imperial sword. Speaking with inner force, his voice rang like a bell, ensuring those on the city wall heard clearly.

 

“Prince Qin has come by His Majesty’s order to suppress bandits in Yuzhou and rescue Prince Qin’s consort and Princess Dongning. The imperial edict is here. Open the city gates immediately and kneel to receive the edict!”

 

The guard spoke with discretion, not mentioning the investigation of officials, focusing first on getting the gates opened.

 

The soldier was startled and quickly saluted: “Greetings, Your Highness! Please wait a moment, the prefect and commander will arrive shortly!”

 

In just a few words, he knew this matter was beyond his authority. Whether to open the gates wasn’t his decision to make. These were all important figures-he couldn’t afford to offend either side, so how could he act on his own?

 

Chu Zhao had rushed all the way here, certainly anxious, but his face revealed nothing. Having reached Yuzhou, the hot blood from the long journey gradually cooled, and his emotions settled considerably.

 

Chu Zhao held the reins: “I’ll wait only half a cup of tea’s time. Tell them to hurry over.”

 

Chu Zhao could wait for Magistrate Cao and the garrison commander to arrive-in fact, he feared they wouldn’t come. While waiting, he adjusted his attire on horseback.

 

During the long march, he had kept the jade pendant safely tucked inside his robe. Now he took it out and carefully attached it to his waist.

 

General Nan noticed Chu Zhao’s meticulous attention to the jade pendant and rode up beside him, asking curiously: “Your Highness, is this jade pendant some kind of token?”

 

Prince Qin’s personal guards were alarmed, but it was too late to stop him.

 

Ahhhh, why ask about the jade pendant of all things!!

 

Sure enough, Chu Zhao perked up-he was never tired of discussing this: “It could be called a token. Look at the design of the pendant.”

 

General Nan: “It’s a dragon, so indeed it must be royal-”

 

Chu Zhao: “Exactly, it’s a dragon and phoenix paired pendant.”

 

General Nan’s words came to an abrupt halt.

 

What?

 

“This is one of them. The other is with my consort-they come as a pair.” Chu Zhao continued enthusiastically. “This knot below is a love knot. My consort personally obtained it from a temple-the White Dragon Temple in the capital. You know it, right? It’s very effective. They say…”

 

The personal guards couldn’t help covering their faces. Help! What did they do wrong to deserve listening to this all the way from the capital to Yuzhou?

 

Marquis, please come back and control him!

 

General Nan, a single man, listened in a daze as Chu Zhao lectured, moving from dragon and phoenix pendants to theories of fate and discussions of divinity before circling back to the pendants, encompassing the universe and incorporating many classic theories.

 

General Nan was amazed: Who knew Prince Qin was not only a military genius but also so learned!

 

His admiration grew even stronger!

 

He clearly hadn’t grasped that the central idea behind Chu Zhao’s lengthy discourse was simple: jade pendant, a pair, from his consort.

 

If he had the chance to hear it again in the future, he might understand.

 

When Magistrate Cao and the Yuzhou garrison commander climbed onto the city wall, Chu Zhao reluctantly stopped, seamlessly switching from casual conversation to work mode. When he looked up again, his aura was solemn-he was once more the decisive Prince Qin.

 

Magistrate Cao stood on the city wall, filled with doubt and alarm.

 

Why had they received no prior notice that the court was sending troops to suppress bandits!?

 

This shouldn’t be happening. With so many colleagues at court, including the Grand Secretary, how could they not inform him? Could something major have happened in the capital, leaving the Grand Secretary unable to help, while they in distant Yuzhou knew nothing?

 

“Magistrate Cao of Yuzhou.” Chu Zhao sat straight-backed on his horse. “The imperial edict is here. Open the gates.”

 

Magistrate Cao broke out in a cold sweat but didn’t move. He forced a smile: “Greetings, Prince Qin. Your Highness, might there be some misunderstanding? Yuzhou has no bandits requiring such a large military force. This official…”

 

“Spare me the nonsense.” Though Chu Zhao was below the city wall, he seemed to be looking down from above. Magistrate Cao stood high but felt suffocated by the pressure.

 

Chu Zhao: “We can discuss whether it’s a misunderstanding later. Refusing to kneel before an imperial edict-have you considered the consequences?”

 

Chu Zhao placed his hand on his sword hilt, slowly pressing down: “Will you open the city gates yourself, or shall I summon more southern border troops to blast them open?”

 

If the latter, it would be not only defying an imperial edict but armed resistance-tantamount to rebellion.

 

Chu Zhao was bluffing. Without the tiger tally, he couldn’t summon more southern border troops, but Magistrate Cao didn’t know that.

 

Cold sweat poured down Magistrate Cao’s face, but having held his position for so many years, he had some skill and could remain composed. Though his legs were about to give way, he gritted his teeth and stood firm on the city wall.

 

Wait a little longer, just a little longer…

 

When he heard his subordinate’s report, he knew something was terribly wrong, especially the part about “rescuing Prince Qin’s consort and Princess Dongning.” It sounded too strange. He immediately sent people to Prince Qin’s consort’s estate, even if it meant rudely barging in, to see the consort.

 

He had a premonition that this might not end well.

 

Prince Qin’s arrival was too unexpected and too swift, even bringing southern border troops-this couldn’t be a minor matter.

 

Magistrate Cao took a deep breath under Chu Zhao’s gaze.

 

Someone hurried up to the city wall, out of breath.

 

“M-Magistrate!”

 

Magistrate Cao turned his head abruptly.

 

“P-Prince Qin’s consort and the princess aren’t at the estate at all!”

 

In an instant, Magistrate Cao felt as if he’d fallen into an icy abyss.

 

…A conspiracy, a long-planned conspiracy.

 

It had begun when Prince Qin’s consort entered Yuzhou-no, perhaps even earlier!

 

His hands and feet turned cold as he stiffly turned his head to meet Chu Zhao’s mocking gaze below the city wall.

 

“Magistrate Cao,” Chu Zhao said, “have you decided how to choose?”

 

Magistrate Cao closed his eyes briefly.

 

If the bandit situation was exposed, along with the refugee crisis and tax issues, he would face certain death. Sensing trouble, he had already ordered people to clear his residence of incriminating items, but even if his home was clean, the evidence in the hands of merchants and bandits could still condemn him.

 

Even if he risked everything and refused to open the gates, essentially rebelling, others might not join him.

 

Moreover, if he truly took action against Prince Qin who carried the imperial edict, confirming the crime of treason, even the Grand Secretary couldn’t save his entire clan at that point.

 

If he had the Prince’s consort and the princess in hand, there might still be room for negotiation, but clearly no one had given him that opportunity.

 

More importantly, if Chu Zhao summoned more southern border troops, Magistrate Cao didn’t believe he could defeat them.

 

Magistrate Cao said hoarsely: “Open the city gates…”

 

The gates swung open, and Chu Zhao led his troops into the city. Magistrate Cao and the garrison commander came down from the city wall to welcome him. Before the imperial edict, they all knelt.

 

Chu Zhao glanced at them, not hurrying to let them rise: “Clear the road, ask the citizens to temporarily step aside, be polite, don’t be disrespectful. There are too few people here to welcome us. Call out all the officials in the city.”

 

So in no time, the heads of every department in the city had assembled, kneeling in confusion.

 

Bai Junxing was among them.

 

Citizens hid in their homes, peering out curiously.

 

What was going to happen?

 

Not only were they curious, but the Yuzhou officials also wanted to know.

 

Chu Zhao looked at the officials kneeling before him and recited several names that Shen Ziqin had told him in advance: “Would these gentlemen raise their heads and let me see.”

 

The officials who were called raised their heads.

 

“Very good,” Chu Zhao recognized them, raised his hand, and suddenly attacked: “Arrest these people along with the Yuzhou prefect and the garrison commander!”

 

Before the officials could even show their shock, soldiers had already rushed forward and quickly pressed them down.

 

The remaining officials who hadn’t been named were instantly thrown into panic, with the more timid ones crying out in fear.

 

The garrison commander, relying on his martial arts background, struggled, but the two men holding him were stronger. Veins bulging, the commander shouted: “May I ask Prince Qin, why are you detaining imperial officials without cause?”

 

“Yuzhou’s bandit problem has become a disaster. His Majesty sent me to investigate. Why I’m arresting you-you all know clearly. Learn from Magistrate Cao, who remains silent as if he expected this, quite composed.”

 

The commander was shocked. He looked at Magistrate Cao and saw that his face was ashen, yet he showed no sign of struggle.

 

When opening the city gates, Magistrate Cao had still harbored a last bit of hope, thinking that if he could buy just a little time to send a warning, there might still be room for maneuver.

 

But he hadn’t expected Prince Qin to act so decisively, directly arresting people at the city gate without a single word of pretense.

 

Magistrate Cao took a breath: “Your Highness holds the imperial sword and can execute first and report later, kill or capture whoever you wish with no one daring to stop you. But to arrest us without evidence, acting so violently-when you face your colleagues in the future, aren’t you afraid-”

 

Chu Zhao smiled: “I’m really not afraid.”

 

Magistrate Cao’s heart sank completely.

 

Chu Zhao had someone remove the commander’s badge: “The Yuzhou garrison will temporarily be under my command. Censor Bai, receive my orders!”

 

Bai Junxing: “This official is here!”

 

“You will temporarily manage Yuzhou’s internal affairs, working with the deputy commissioner. Don’t let any more chaos arise within Yuzhou.”

 

Bai Junxing: “This official accepts the command.”

 

The deputy imperial commissioner, the Right Deputy Minister of Justice, was also stunned by Chu Zhao’s methods. He had thought there would at least be some pretense when they arrived in Yuzhou…

 

As a civil official, he had vomited several times from the jolting journey with Chu Zhao. He knew His Majesty had sent him to check Prince Qin’s power and had planned to find fault with the prince’s actions to report back, but now he didn’t dare to make a sound.

 

Chu Zhao tossed the commander’s badge to General Nan: “The Yuzhou garrison has twenty-three thousand men. Select eight thousand and have them line up outside the city to await me.”

 

General Nan saluted: “Yes, sir!”

 

Chu Zhao, accompanied by several personal guards, went directly to the estate where Shen Ziqin had previously stayed.

 

The people left at the estate were delighted to see the prince arrive and happily opened the gates. Inside, they had tied up several men recently sent by Magistrate Cao.

 

With all necessary arrangements made, Chu Zhao was in high spirits. The journey from the capital to Yuzhou had truly made him understand what it meant to feel like three autumns had passed in a single day of separation.

 

“Where is Ziqin?” Chu Zhao asked in a light tone. “Someone lead the way.”

 

The guard said: “The marquis went to the Flying Tiger Gang. I’ll lead Your Highness there, this way-”

 

“Wait.”

 

Chu Zhao interrupted him, incredulous: “Where did he go? Say it again?”

 

The guard hesitated: “The Flying Tiger Gang.”

 

Chu Zhao’s previously bright face instantly changed from sunny to cloudy. Gritting his teeth, he said word by word: “So, he said he would wait for me in a safe place, but ended up going to a bandit hideout?”

 

The guards immediately fell silent, each as quiet as a mouse.

 

Chu Zhao tightened the reins, mentally grinding a certain person’s name through clenched teeth: Shen. Zi. Qin!

 

#

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(advanced chapters available on kofi)