Chapter 682 – The Living (2/2)
At this time, he and Su Moyu were strolling about the capital.
The reason they had gone walking was that the situation in the capital was gradually settling. He had sat in the library for too long, and both his body and mind felt somewhat sluggish. Moreover, he was well aware that just because it was very difficult for him to leave the capital did not mean that he could not leave the Orthodox Academy. Most importantly, he wanted to find out where Zhexiu was.
Leaves fell in the Luo River, lightly washed to and fro. He was just like those leaves, aimlessly wandering about.
Perhaps because he was acting according to the thoughts in the depths of his heart, this aimless walking happened to lead him and Su Moyu to the city gate.
This was also because the capital had never had a city wall, so the city gate was too inconspicuous.
The willows on both sides of the official road stretched off as two straight green lines into the distance. Under the bleak autumn sun, they presented a delightful sight.
If not for the wailing, the noise, the blood, and that stench.
Chen Changsheng saw the bloodstains on the road and also the black flies in the fields to the sides of the road.
For there to be such large groups of flies in the cold autumn was truly vexing, just like those soldiers of the City Gate Department oozing with killing intent and those officials.
Many people of the capital were present.
Through the wary discussions and the whispered curses of the crowd, Chen Changsheng and Su Moyu very quickly learned the whole story of this matter.
He walked forward and saw that tired, haggard, weak, yet firm and persistent, calm, and brave woman at the very front of the crowd.
It was actually Xue Xingchuan's wife.
Then, he saw those brave and determined soldiers, covered in blood and severely injured, their eyes showing no remorse, only anger and unwillingness.
They were actually Xue Xingchuan's soldiers.
……
……
A moment ago, just when those subordinates of the supervisor from the Ministry of Justice were about to assault Madam Xue, ten-some soldiers suddenly charged out of the city gate.
These soldiers were from the Cong Province Army. After receiving commendations, they had returned to the capital to rest for the autumn.
The Cong Province Army was where Xue Xingchuan had made his name. It was also where he had fought against the demons and achieved the most merit.
Xue Xingchuan had returned to the capital so many years ago, so he would naturally not remember these ordinary soldiers, but these soldiers had never forgotten their general.
They had been secretly waiting for a moment to steal Xue Xingchuan's remains and bury them. However, when Madam Xue was in danger, they found it impossible to remain in hiding.
The disorder very quickly concluded. Madam Xue had been frightened, but not injured. Those soldiers from the Cong Province Army had suffered disastrous casualties and were an appalling sight.
A deputy general of the City Gate Department looked at those heavily injured soldiers from the Cong Province Army and sternly rebuked, ”Divine General Xue He has already been captured. In a few days, he will be sent back to the capital for trial. You muddle-headed soldiers actually dare to defy the decree and injure others? Are you plotting rebellion?”
Madam Xue's voice shook, yet was still courteous. ”General, we just wanted to bury a body, not plot rebellion.”
The deputy general looked at her in silence, then said, ”Madam, anyone who dares to bury your husband's body is plotting rebellion.”
The supervisor from the Ministry of Justice gave Madam Xue a jeering laugh carrying a deep malice.
This was a matter that was plain to everyone, but it was only at this point that someone so plainly stated it.
The Tianhai Divine Empress had died, Xue Xingchuan had also died, and Xue He would be dead in a few days. The second-ranked Divine General whose reputation once shook the entire continent was now nothing at all.
His remains could not be buried and had become an exhibit of the Imperial Court's strength, as well as implicit approval for the one who had poisoned him.
His widow was about to suffer all sorts of humiliation. Ultimately, she might cast herself into the water and drown, hang herself from a roof beam, or live out her bitter days until she died of old age.
His forsaken troops would also no longer receive any sort of honor. All that was left for them was unforgettable memories and pain.
……
……
”At night, I'll come and take care of this matter.”
Su Moyu stood in front of Chen Changsheng and spoke with an unquestionable tone.
Xue Xingchuan's miserable encounter was a touchstone for the new government, a wooden pole erected in front of the city gate. (TN: A touchstone is a certain type of stone used to differentiate alloys of gold based on the mark they leave upon it. The wooden pole in front of the city gate is a reference to a story regarding Lord Shang Yang, a reformer of the state of Qin during the Warring States era. Shang Yang intended to carry out a series of reforms in Qin, but he was worried that the common people would not believe that the government was serious. Thus, Shang Yang set up a wooden pole at the southern gate of the marketplace in the capital of Qin and announced that anyone who moved this pole from the south gate to the north gate would receive ten taels of gold. No one attempted to move the pole, so he raised the reward to fifty taels of gold. A person finally moved the pole, and Shang Yang ordered that he be paid fifty taels of gold, thus illustrating that the government intended to do what it announced.)
Su Moyu knew that since Chen Changsheng had seen this, he would definitely care about it, but Chen Changsheng's identity was too sensitive. If he were to act, it would very easily become something big, so he decided to make it his matter to care about.
From any angle, this was a very courageous and rather more dependable plan, but Chen Changsheng did not think so.
It had actually already been four days; how could it last for one day more?
He walked out of the crowd and up to Madam Xue, then said, ”Greetings.”