Chapter 27: Some Brothers, Some

Is there no justice left in this world?

In the inner courtyard of the government office, Di Renjie stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in deep scarlet official robes. He spoke coldly:

"Men of the Hundred Cavalry, drop your blades and walk yourselves into the prison. Any who attempt to flee... you know the consequences."

His gaze swept across the crowd before he walked slowly toward Wu An.

"Disarm!"

Wu An did not hesitate. He noticed several other officials in scarlet robes standing beside Di Renjie, all eyeing him with hostility. He immediately spread his arms wide before Di Renjie, as if asking for an embrace.

Zhang Wu and Liang Xin stepped forward from either side, helping him untie his armor and removing each piece one by one.

As they stepped back, Zhang Wu cast a nervous glance at the surrounding officials. Liang Xin let out a soft cough, and the two men loosened their own swords, though they did not set them down; even Zhang Wu kept his eyes fixed firmly on the back of Wu An’s head.

Wu An unbuckled his own sword and handed it to Di Renjie, then signaled with his other hand.

"Strip your blades."

Immediately, Zhang Wu and Liang Xin dropped their swords to the ground, followed by a continuous clatter of steel echoing behind them.

"I ask that the Great Court of Justice provide food for my men," Wu An said, shifting his gaze from Di Renjie to point toward the sky. "It is freezing tonight; please provide charcoal as well... We of the Hundred Cavalry serve His Majesty, and since no final word has come from the palace, I ask for your forbearance."

Di Renjie frowned slightly, while several of the scarlet-robed officials around them burst out in indignation:

"Insolence!"

"You and everyone else among you shall be thrown into prison! Tomorrow, we shall report to His Majesty and have all of you executed according to the law!"

"Enough."

Di Renjie spoke. Some were still eager to vent their anger, but he looked at them and said calmly, "They claim to have an imperial verbal decree. This is not a matter we can resolve ourselves. Just keep them well-guarded and ensure no one goes missing."

He glanced back at Wu An, his voice rising slightly:

"I shall interrogate the Commandant personally. I ask you all to take the others away and provide them with food."

"And charcoal," Wu An reminded him.

*A prisoner acting this arrogant—is this world falling apart?* The scarlet-robed officials were shivering with fury. When would the Great Court of Justice ever truly stand tall again? A mere Commandant daring to rely on the power of others to bully them right to their faces.

*Wait until there is a verdict; I will make sure to break this little brat into eighteen different shapes.*

Unfortunately, Di Renjie was right. These men were all soldiers from the Hundred Cavalry, and they claimed to have the Emperor's personal decree. Could it be...?

But the Emperor was not insane. It was inconceivable that he would send a group of soldiers to kill those two men in prison. They were two Prime Ministers, not two chickens!

"Do as he says."

Di Renjie nodded slightly. He currently held a concurrent position at the Great Court of Justice, though his primary office was that of an Investigating Censor. With his seniority and prestige, his words carried weight.

Even those with higher ranks present, unable to read the situation clearly, were unwilling to rashly step into the muddy waters. They snorted and began ordering the clerks to lead the others away.

Di Renjie found a small room, pushed open the door, and stepped aside to let Wu An in.

Wu An surveyed the room, wondering how he might deceive Di Renjie. The man’s personality might differ from the historical records, but there was no doubt about his intellect. While Wu An had his plans, he needed to discuss them with Di Renjie to patch up the flaws.

Once the door was shut, Di Renjie walked quickly up to Wu An. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before speaking simultaneously.

Wu An: "I have a bold idea..."

A smile appeared on Di Renjie’s face, and he praised, "You have done very well... What is this idea?"

...

"What is he actually thinking?"

Wu Chengsi looked at the beautiful middle-aged woman before him, his voice icy. "He was nothing but a disgraced official from the border garrison who got lucky. What right does he have to throw his weight around using the Empress’s name?"

*You idiots have been throwing your weight around in my name for long enough, yet none of you ever helped me kill Hao Chujun.*

The Empress felt a chill in her heart. She stroked her teacup and said faintly, "Regardless, His Majesty ordered him to raid their estates. The evidence of their crimes is real, and the... rebellion is also real."

Whether one hoards contraband for the sake of collection or for the sake of treason—these are two vastly different concepts.

*What is so good about him?*

Wu Chengsi felt truly resentful. If nothing else, even the last time the "evidence" of Hao Chujun’s crimes was found, he had been the one doing the hard work. Yet, Wu An arrived and snatched the credit, easily rising in rank.

*I was the one who was here first.*

Wu Chengsi and his cousins had not been very respectful to their aunt in years past, but as she had transitioned from Empress to Heavenly Empress four years ago, her power in the court had risen year by year. They had reached a point where they needed to support one another.

Wu Chengsi was fearless; the Heavenly Empress only had these relatives, so who else could she turn to?

"Aunt..."

The Heavenly Empress set down her teacup nonchalantly and said calmly, "This is the palace. Mind your address and be respectful."

"Heavenly Empress," Wu Chengsi gritted his teeth and knelt on the ground. "His Majesty has practiced Taoism and cultivated his heart for many years, always living in peace with the court officials. Now that this has happened so suddenly, once the news spreads tomorrow, it will be scandalous and shake the entire court. His Majesty will surely bow to the consensus of the officials and have him erased."

"And so..."

"And so, must I rush to draw a line between us and ask His Majesty to kill him?" the Heavenly Empress asked.

*That would be perfect...* Wu Chengsi muttered to himself.

"That is not exactly it, but... we should express an attitude so that the fallout of this affair does not stain you."

A smile touched the corners of the Heavenly Empress’s lips, and then, as if she could not control it, the smile grew wider. Although she was middle-aged, a hint of tenderness—entirely unbefitting her status—appeared in her eyes when she smiled genuinely, stirring the hearts of those who saw her.

"Tell me... do you think the Emperor is afraid of the officials’ criticism, and thus acts in accordance with their wishes?"

*Is that not the case?* Wu Chengsi was stunned.

The Heavenly Empress收敛了 her smile, as if recalling something.

"He once did something, and at that time, almost no one among the civil and military officials agreed. Even the famous Duke of Zhao, Zhangsun Wuji, came forward to oppose it, but he could not change his mind. That matter also caused a massive uproar, but in the end, the officials were the ones who turned around and followed his will."

"What... matter was it?"

Wu Chengsi felt his aunt’s tone seemed quite pleasant, so he gathered his courage to ask.

The Heavenly Empress looked at him and smiled radiantly. "He wanted to take me into the palace."

Wu Chengsi fell silent for a moment, feeling somewhat puzzled. He thought to himself that Wu An was not some stunning young beauty, so how could he possibly provoke the Emperor to "risk everything for a woman"?

"You are still too young."

The Heavenly Empress commented. Seeing Wu Chengsi unable to utter a single word, she sighed with a sense of desolation.

"He only looks young."

There was one more thing she kept to herself, treating it as a joke. Wu An looked young, but his depth and calculations seemed as if he had lived two lifetimes.

"I only just realized why he insisted on killing those two."

The Heavenly Empress pondered for a moment and said slowly:

"Tell me, is there any way to grant him more favor?"

Wu Chengsi felt bitter, but he had to answer: "Your Majesty, you have already bestowed too much wealth upon him recently. Having lived in exile for so long, if he receives too much at once, he may not necessarily be grateful... It would be better to show him familial affection and win him over with kindness."

*That actually sounds like human speech.*

The Heavenly Empress nodded slightly, paused, and said slowly, "Tomorrow morning, I will have Taiping go to the Great Court of Justice to see him."

*Princess Taiping?*

*My cute little cousin?*

Wu Chengsi was startled, and his heart felt increasingly sour.