novelAbuy Chapter 078: Rescue
Chapter 078: Rescue
Ma Zhong clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, and a moment later, the thirty-six team members lined up on the horse path outside the back gate.
They traveled in groups of three, dressed in the blue cloth short jackets worn by the clerks of the Imperial Clan Court, with a wooden plaque bearing the seal of the Imperial Clan Court hanging on each side of their horses' bellies.
The patrolling soldiers along the route from the old camp in the southern suburbs to the Houchaomen horse path, even if they had doubts, could not stop the soldiers from stopping them.
"Captain," an old soldier sidled up behind us, "are we running away or drawing our swords today?"
"It depends on the situation. If His Highness doesn't draw his sword, we're just escorting documents; if His Highness does draw his sword—" Ma Zhong pressed his sword down, "we're the swords of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs."
As Jiao Qiong's valiant patrol passed by Ma Zhong's Zongzheng Temple escort team on the official road from Houchaomen towards Beiwa, Ma Zhong gave a low whistle.
It involves placing your fingers between your lips to imitate the call of a partridge.
Upon hearing this, Jiao Qiong ordered the patrol team to slow down and, together with the banners of the Palace Guard, occupy the street corner, thus blocking the reinforcement route of the Imperial City Guard from the east of the city towards the Dali Temple.
This is not a coincidence; it refers to the two tracks that Zhao Bocong drew at the meeting.
The overt track was responsible for legal matters, while the covert track was responsible for maneuver. The only point where the two tracks intersected was the archives warehouse of the old camp in the southern suburbs.
At this moment, Xin Qizong's men and Jiao Qiong's men completed a silent exchange of positions outside the Dali Temple.
The Imperial Palace Guard patrol on the main road was responsible for "maintaining order," while the rapid response team on the covert road hung the Imperial Clan Court tokens on their saddles, passed behind the Imperial Palace Guard, and went straight to the outskirts of North Wa to await orders.
In the Dali Temple prison area, Qin Keqing stood half a step behind Zhao Bocong, remaining silent throughout.
She mentally reviewed all the steps. The watchtower signal on Feng Yi's route had already been sent out, and the carriage of Cining Palace was still parked outside the back gate of Dali Temple. The rapid ringing of the copper bells would reach the southern suburbs in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The only remaining uncertainty is whether Qin Hui signed the search warrant for the Imperial City Guard, and what exactly was written on that warrant.
What Qin Keqing was most worried about was not the imperial guards, as they had Xin Qizong's men outside to assist them; what she was most worried about was that Qin Hui would sign his name on the search warrant.
The name of someone who could legally order Xiao Jinluo's execution within this prison area.
Then Wanqixie's men ran in through the main gate.
A palace guard, drenched in sweat and pale-faced, ran up to Wan Qixie and was almost out of breath. He whispered a few words in Wan Qixie's ear.
Wan Qixie's expression changed, from a confident and cold face to one of sudden astonishment. His eyebrows twitched first, then furrowed together as if to confirm whether he had heard correctly. Finally, his hands clenched and unclenched in his sleeves.
"The Empress Dowager has arrived at the main gate," he said to Zhao Bocong, his voice tinged with panic.
The words spread through the prison corridor, and everyone heard them.
The inspectors looked at each other in bewilderment. One of the younger ones even unconsciously took a step back, and the tip of the iron ruler shifted slightly downward from the direction it was aimed at Xiao Bieli.
They dared not make a move in front of the Empress Dowager. It wasn't that they were afraid of hurting her, but rather that they feared the news would reach the Emperor's ears, and he would ask: "You surrounded the Imperial Clan Verification Commissioner in front of the Empress Dowager in the Dali Temple's lower-level prison. Were you planning a rebellion?"
This was the moment Zhao Bocong had been waiting for.
"Prosecutor," he said in a low voice, "the matter of the fire will be investigated by the Prefect Wanqi himself. The Imperial Clan Court's verification is not yet complete. Please bring all the unresolved cases to the main hall according to the list. This Prince and Registrar Qin will verify them in person."
Tui Cheng glanced at Wan Qixie, then at the end of the prison corridor, where the Empress Dowager was just outside the door.
He made the decision immediately, repeatedly saying "Yes, sir," and personally led the jailers to open the iron gate of cell number C.
Xiao Jinluo walked out of the cell carrying a plush rabbit. She paused for a moment as she passed Wan Qixie, looked up at him as if to sized him up and remember the face of the man who had ordered her imprisonment.
Then she turned and ran to Xiao Bieli's side, grabbing his clothes with one hand while still holding the plush rabbit in the other.
Xiao Bieli looked down at her and gently pulled her back to his side.
Consort Wei stood in the main hall of the Dali Temple, not sitting, but standing there, holding the string of plain wooden prayer beads in her hand. The ebony box was held by Zhang Quwei and placed on the nearest table to her.
Zhang Quwei stood behind her.
Wanqixie entered the main hall with his head bowed low. "Your subject, Wanqixie, respectfully welcomes the Empress Dowager. I was unaware of the Empress Dowager's arrival at the Dali Temple—"
"Wanqi, Supervisor, I have a question for you. The Imperial Clan Court's annual registration review is a rule established during the reign of Emperor Taizu. You led twelve armed inspectors into the Dali Temple's jurisdiction, surrounded the registration envoy, and prevented the imperial clan from conducting the review—who gave this order?"
Wan Qixie dared not answer.
"Qin Hui," Consort Wei answered herself. "However, I don't blame him. He has worked hard for the country for so many years, and it's inevitable that he would make mistakes."
I have come today not to question his crimes, but to ask him a question: He raised his hand before the ancestors in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and said that he would protect the laws established by the founding emperor with his life.
"Now that Emperor Taizu Chengfa is in the Dali Temple prison area, he has sent men to surround him. If he doesn't give me an explanation today, I will sit here and not leave."
She took the ebony box from Zhang Quwei and placed it on the table in the main hall. She didn't open it, but simply pressed it down with her hand.
All eyes in the hall were on the box, its four corners wrapped in silver and its surface carved with lotus flowers. The "letter" circulating in official circles was sealed inside this box.
The Empress Dowager placed it on the table but did not open it, which was more suffocating than opening it.
Sweat trickled down Wan Qixie's temples. He knew why the Empress Dowager wouldn't open the box; like Zhao Bocong, she was using "legitimacy" to pressure him.
He wasn't afraid to lead his troops to storm the city, but he was afraid that the Empress Dowager would take out a letter from the late emperor that he had never seen before from the box.
He stepped back three steps, waved his hand, and all twelve of the inspectors he had brought with him left the main hall, leaving only the Dali Temple's own prison guards on duty.
This was his concession, and also the price Qin Hui paid for failing to issue the search warrant beforehand.
Zhao Bocong turned to Qin Keqing and said, "Continue with the verification."
Qin Keqing opened the register and continued reading in a flat tone: "Female prisoner in custody, No. C, Xiao Jinluo, date of imprisonment: December 23, 12th year of Shaoxing, crime: unregistered vagrant."
She closed the register and looked up at Wan Qixie. "According to the Shaoxing Ordinance, unregistered vagrants should be placed under the jurisdiction of Lin'an Prefecture, not imprisoned by the Dali Temple. Who signed this imprisonment document?"
No one answered.
"You signed the document for the appointment of Wanqi Tiju."
Qin Keqing's voice was still so flat.
"The Dali Temple imprisoned an unregistered young girl without the approval of Lin'an Prefecture or the filing with the Ministry of Personnel. She was detained for four days based solely on an arrest warrant issued by the Imperial City Guard. I will include this matter in the audit report and submit it to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs for filing."
Wan Qixie remained silent. He couldn't refute it because he had indeed signed the arrest warrant, and it was indeed the Imperial City Guard who had directly imprisoned the person in the Dali Temple without going through Lin'an Prefecture.
But he didn't panic.