Chapter 127
Chapter 127
The remainder of the journey passed peacefully, and Liu Ye’s party reached Jingcheng without incident.
People had warned them that the road was dangerous, yet they encountered nothing at all.
Of course, perhaps dangers had appeared-and then, for certain unknown reasons, ceased to exist before the travelers could encounter them.
Fifteen days later…
“Wow! So this is Jingcheng!”
Liu Ye stared at the enormous ancient buildings in amazement.
Huicheng was prosperous too, but architecture from this era possessed a beauty all its own.
Eunuch Wu and Physician Zhou, on the other hand, were exhausted in both body and spirit.
Sometimes they would wake in broad daylight to find a severed tiger’s head beside them, its eyes bulging as it stared directly at their faces.
The shocks had nearly destroyed their nerves.
“Lord Liu, now that we’ve reached Jingcheng, this eunuch will treat you to a proper feast!” Eunuch Wu said excitedly.
Liu Ye was genuinely looking forward to it.
But the moment they reached the city gate, a troop of soldiers surrounded them.
An eunuch approached carrying an imperial edict.
“By decree of His Majesty: Liu Ye, magistrate of Nine Worlds County, showed contempt for imperial grace and committed the unconscionable crime of sacrificing children to the River God. The evidence is conclusive. Liu Ye is hereby stripped of his scholarly honors, imprisoned, and sentenced to execution after autumn. Respect this decree!”
The eunuch lowered the edict and looked coolly at Liu Ye.
“Lord Liu, accept the decree.”
“What did he just say?” Liu Ye asked in confusion.
“He said that every crime committed by Wushenzi has been placed on your head,” Eunuch Wu answered anxiously.
“I demand an audience with His Majesty!” Eunuch Wu cried.
Physician Zhou immediately stopped him.
“Eunuch Wu, don’t act impulsively! If they accuse us of being Lord Liu’s accomplices too, we will have no chance of saving him.”
Eunuch Wu stared at Physician Zhou in astonishment.
“You think that’s what worries me? With Lord Liu’s abilities, do you imagine he needs me to worry about saving him?”
Eunuch Wu pointed desperately toward the palace.
“I’m worried about the emperor! Those idiots have deceived His Majesty. If they truly imprison Lord Liu and he loses his temper, the entire dynasty might be replaced!”
He raised his voice and shouted that he needed to see the emperor regarding an urgent matter.
The eunuch who had brought the decree knew Eunuch Wu. He also knew that Eunuch Wu was the godson of one of the emperor’s favorites, so he agreed to escort him into the palace.
“Lord Liu, please don’t be anxious. I’ll explain everything to His Majesty. Whatever you do, please don’t act impulsively.”
Eunuch Wu handed the baby to Physician Zhou and entered the palace at the fastest speed he had ever moved in his life.
He had barely reached the palace gate when he encountered his godfather.
Eunuch Wu was overjoyed.
“Godfather!”
Eunuch Sun, standing at the palace gate, turned at the shout. The moment he recognized his godson, anger flared across his face.
“You wretched brat! I sent you to Nine Worlds County on official business. What in heaven’s name did you do there? If I hadn’t risked my life pleading for you before His Majesty, your head would already be serving as somebody’s chamber pot!”
Eunuch Wu slapped his thigh in desperation.
“Godfather, this isn’t the time for that! Take me to His Majesty immediately. If we’re too late, everything will be over!”
“What happened? Has some region rebelled?” Eunuch Sun asked anxiously.
“Truly, a rebellion somewhere would be easier to handle. This concerns Lord Liu-Liu Ye!”
Eunuch Sun raised a hand and stopped him.
“If you intend to plead for him, save your breath. You don’t understand how serious the Nine Worlds County scandal has become. Someone must take the blame. Liu Ye was simply unlucky. His father caused the whole affair, but the father is dead now, so the son will have to bear it.”
Eunuch Wu was on the verge of losing his mind. They wanted Liu Ye to take the blame? Mishandle this, and the entire imperial capital might cease to exist.
“Godfather, listen to me…”
He recounted several incidents from their journey.
Eunuch Sun looked doubtful. “Is he really that powerful?”
“He really is-”
An explosion sounded in the distance before Eunuch Wu could finish.
All urgency abruptly left his face.
“It’s over. We’re too late. Tell His Majesty to prepare to move somewhere else.” He turned to leave.
Eunuch Sun grabbed him. “Where are you going?”
“Home to pack. If I move quickly, I might still save a few things.” Eunuch Wu’s eyes held the weary resignation of a man who had seen through the world.
His expression frightened Eunuch Sun more than any warning could have.
“No, explain yourself! What’s going on? Don’t act like this. You’re scaring your godfather.”
More explosions rumbled across distant parts of Jingcheng.
“Godfather, let me put it this way. A few days ago, he wanted some honey, so he beat up the bear Fiend living in the mountains. When the bear came to argue, he chopped off its paw and dipped it in the honey.
“When we crossed a river, he dragged out a thousand-year-old softshell turtle and made soup with it. Before we entered the city, a dog merely looked at him twice, and he kicked it.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Merciful heavens, what is he doing now?”
Eunuch Wu abandoned his godfather and sprinted outside.
Eunuch Sun no longer dared delay. He hurried back to the palace to report to the emperor.
By the time Eunuch Wu reached the city gate, he had already ordered his servants to move his valuables. Soldiers lay scattered across the ground, and part of the city wall had collapsed.
Liu Ye and Qiqi stood there with soot-blackened faces. They brightened at the sight of him.
“Eunuch Wu, you’re finally here!”
Eunuch Wu sucked in a breath, then forced a smile. “Lord Liu, didn’t I tell you not to act rashly?”
“I didn’t! I listened to you and didn’t do anything. They did this to themselves.”
For once, he was telling the absolute truth. Liu Ye had not resisted. The soldiers had searched him, emptied his bundle, and discovered mines, grenades, and various other objects.
Fascinated, they passed the strange items around. Then one soldier accidentally pulled the pin from a grenade.
Fortunately, no one had died. Unfortunately, most of them would not leave their beds for at least six months.
Eunuch Wu stared at him in silence.
“Why did you give them something so dangerous?” he finally screamed.
“They asked for it!” Liu Ye protested.
“And that means you hand it over? You could have slapped them instead!”
“But you told me not to act rashly.”
Eunuch Wu had no answer.
“By the way, where are Old Zhou and the baby?”
“Here…”
Physician Zhou approached with the baby in his arms. Both wore enormous crowns of singed hair and expressions of perfect calm.
The baby had not even cried. After more than ten days with Liu Ye, adults and children alike had grown accustomed to explosions. Without a few blasts at night, they could hardly fall asleep.