Chapter 32
After the court session, Mark accompanied Prince Anling to a grand mansion in the capital. It was a property owned by the Prime Minister, intended for rental income. Due to the high rent, it had remained vacant, and the Prime Minister had offered it to Prince Anling for his stay.
Meanwhile, Song Ling, following the trail of Mark’s demonic aura, had arrived in the bustling city of Sichuan province. However, she lost track of the jiangshi king. His aura had vanished. She was spotted by one of the Emperor’s spies, who immediately alerted the local authorities. They sent men to the inn where she was staying.
They presented her with an imperial edict, informing her that Li Xinjun had gone to the capital with Minister Chen and was searching for her. Song Ling’s heart ached for Li Xinjun. She longed to be reunited with her, to hold her close. But she hadn’t found the jiangshi king yet, and after all this effort, she couldn’t give up the pursuit.
However, she had no leads on the jiangshi king’s whereabouts. The edict mentioned that there had been jiangshi sightings in the capital, which was why Li Xinjun had gone there to assist. Concerned for Li Xinjun’s safety, and having lost track of the jiangshi king, Song Ling agreed to let the authorities escort her to the capital.
In the capital, Hongli, overjoyed upon learning of Song Ling’s whereabouts, rushed to find Li Xinjun. He handed her the letter from his spies, letting her read it herself. As Li Xinjun read the letter, tears streamed down her face, and her hand trembled.
She had finally received news of Song Ling, who was on her way to the capital. Her heart soared with joy and relief. She reread the letter, a smile on her lips, tears in her eyes, afraid of missing a single word. She put down the letter and looked at Hongli with gratitude. He smiled reassuringly and wiped away her tears.
“Brother Hongli, thank you! Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome, Miss Xinjun. I promised I would do my best to find her.”
“I can finally see her again! I’ve been worried sick about her all this time, but I didn’t know where to look for her. Now I finally have news! I’m so happy! Thank you, Brother Hongli! I don’t know how to repay you.”
“She hasn’t arrived in the capital yet. You can thank me when you see her.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Li Xinjun hugged Hongli. He held her gently, patting her back, letting her cry in his arms.
From that day forward, Li Xinjun was like a woman possessed. She worked tirelessly, day and night, conducting experiments on Uncle Wang, determined to find a solution to the jiangshi problem before Song Ling’s arrival. Her efforts paid off, and she finally devised a plan.
She immediately informed Minister Chen, who presented the idea to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, finding the plan feasible, presented it to the Emperor. Hongli, after hearing the plan, agreed to let her try it.
The plan was simple, similar to the one they had used in Chen Family Village. However, this time, Li Xinjun wouldn’t use chicken blood as bait. It wasn’t potent enough to attract these intelligent jiangshi. She would use a large quantity of human blood, specifically the blood of condemned prisoners.
She proposed executing a group of prisoners who were nearing their execution dates and scheduling their executions for the same day. The strong scent of blood would drive the jiangshi hiding among the humans into a frenzy, exposing them. She would then have soldiers stationed around the execution grounds to capture the jiangshi.
The Emperor approved her plan, and they began to make preparations. Prince Anling was appointed as the presiding official for the executions, responsible for overseeing the process. Minister Chen and Grand General Duoluo would lead the soldiers, surrounding the execution grounds and ready to strike.
The Ministry of Justice selected dozens of prisoners from the prison, and the Emperor issued a decree, scheduling their executions for the same day.
On the day of the executions, Prince Anling sat at the main table, holding a wooden tablet. Over a dozen prisoners knelt in the center of the execution grounds, each with an executioner standing behind them, their broadswords raised. A large crowd of spectators gathered around the perimeter, waiting for the appointed hour. When the time came, Prince Anling threw down the wooden tablet.
The executioners removed the wooden tags from the prisoners’ backs and tossed them aside. They then raised their broadswords and, in unison, brought them down on the prisoners’ necks.
Heads rolled, and bodies slumped to the ground, blood gushing from their severed necks. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood. The ground was soaked crimson, the blood flowing into a nearby ditch, creating a gruesome spectacle.
Li Xinjun, hidden in a nearby building, watched through a window, her grip tightening on her Japanese sword. Beside her, Brother Wu and Ah Qi also gripped their weapons, their eyes scanning the crowd. They knew the jiangshi wouldn’t be able to resist the alluring scent of blood.
They waited patiently, observing the spectators. As expected, they noticed several individuals whose eyes were turning red, their fangs beginning to show.
They didn’t act immediately. They wanted to wait until all the jiangshi lost control and exposed themselves, ensuring that none escaped. Soon, the jiangshi could no longer resist their primal urges. Driven by hunger, they surged forward, overwhelming the execution grounds, tearing at the dead prisoners and lapping up the blood from the ground.
Seeing that the time was right, Li Xinjun whistled. Grand General Duoluo burst through a window, landing in the center of the execution grounds and attacking the jiangshi. Minister Chen and the soldiers quickly joined the fray.
Li Xinjun, with Brother Wu, Ah Qi, and a detachment of soldiers, surrounded the execution grounds, preventing any jiangshi from escaping. The jiangshi, starved and driven mad by the scent of blood, mindlessly rushed towards the source.
Li Xinjun joined the fight, her sword flashing. They worked together, swiftly eliminating the jiangshi. Soon, all the jiangshi were dead. The plan was a success. The soldiers cheered, their victory echoing through the streets, joined by the cheers of the relieved citizens.
News of their success quickly reached the Emperor, who was overjoyed. He issued a decree, lifting the curfew and summoning Li Xinjun and the others to the palace for a reward. A soldier, riding a swift horse, arrived at the execution grounds, holding the imperial edict.
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Miss Li Xinjun and the esteemed officials who defended the capital and eliminated the jiangshi are hereby summoned to the palace for an audience with the Emperor and to receive their rewards. This concludes the imperial edict.”
“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”(T/N: 萬歲萬歲萬萬歲” is a traditional Chinese phrase used to wish the emperor longevity and prosperity, with “萬歲” (ten thousand years-longevity) repeated three times for emphasis. There are many cases where the phrase is repeated three times to emphasize it.)
The soldiers and officials knelt and bowed, expressing their gratitude. They then ordered the other soldiers to clean up the execution grounds and prepare to enter the palace. Li Xinjun returned to the mansion with Grand General Duoluo and Minister Chen to freshen up and change into clean clothes.
At the grand hall of the imperial palace, Li Xinjun saw rows of officials, neatly arranged on either side, leaving a clear path in the middle. A large table, draped in a golden tablecloth, stood at the front of the hall, with an imposing dragon throne behind it. The Emperor, dressed in a golden robe, sat upon the throne.
Li Xinjun approached the throne and knelt, her head bowed.
“Your humble servant, Li Xinjun, greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”
“Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Li Xinjun stood up but kept her head bowed. As a commoner, she couldn’t look directly at the Emperor.
“Miss Li, I have heard countless tales of your deeds and admire your intelligence and capabilities. It is an honor for the Great Qing to have such a talented young woman, skilled in both literary and martial arts. You are a true gem.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. I have merely fulfilled my duty as a citizen. Protecting our home and defending our country is everyone’s responsibility.” Li Xinjun wondered why the Emperor’s voice sounded so familiar.
“Well said! Indeed, protecting our home and defending our country is everyone’s responsibility. It is commendable to hear such words from a young woman.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Raise your head and let me see you.”
Li Xinjun raised her head and was stunned to see that the Emperor was none other than Hongli, her “Brother Hongli.” She stared at him in shock. Hongli winked at her and then, resuming his imperial demeanor, addressed the court.
“I am pleased to announce that all officials who participated in this operation shall receive double their usual salary and a promotion.”
“Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. We will serve you faithfully until our dying breath.” The officials knelt and bowed, expressing their gratitude.
“As for Miss Li Xinjun, since you are not an official, I am unsure how to reward you. You are the greatest contributor to this success, and I feel that merely bestowing upon you a hundred taels of gold would be insufficient. Tell me, what is your desire?”
“Your Majesty, I have no requests at this time.”
“Then how about this? In addition to a hundred taels of gold and a mansion, I grant you a wish. If you have any requests in the future, you may present them to me.”
“Thank you for your immense generosity, Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”
“The people of the capital have suffered greatly during this curfew. Issue a decree. Tonight, there shall be a grand feast throughout the city for all citizens to celebrate. Court dismissed!”
