Nightwatcher

# 388. Self-Reproach Edict

Dean of Cloud Deer Academy, Zhao Shou, Rank three “Great Scholar”.

The foremost Confucian of his time.

Zhao Shou did not represent himself alone; he stood for Cloud Deer Academy, for all scholars who followed the Confucian path.

And so, he had come wielding the carving knife.

It was precisely because Emperor Yuanjing saw this knife that his face suddenly turned deathly pale. Since his ascension, this sovereign of the nine realms had, for the first time within the imperial palace, within Jinluan Hall, been confronted with the threat of death.

“How did you enter the capital? How did you enter the palace...?”

Emperor Yuanjing collapsed onto the dragon throne, pointing at him, his emotions turbulent. “Jianzheng! Jianzheng! Hurry, protect us!”

A great number of Imperial Guards rushed to Jinluan Hall, only to be blocked by a barrier of clear light.

Zhao Shou's face was filled with the fearless determination of one willing to martyr himself for the Dao. “Zhao Shou, in the name of the Confucian Sect, demands two promises from you. First, issue a self-reproach edict immediately. Second, Xu Qi’an sought justice for the people and redressed the wrongs done to Sir Zheng; he is innocent. You must issue an imperial decree to commend him, acknowledge his innocence, and ensure that his family will not suffer reprisal.”

Emperor Yuanjing's face turned ashen as his gaze swept slowly over the gathered officials below the hall. Not a single one of these scholars from the Imperial Academy stepped forward to refute Zhao Shou.

Unknowingly, the Imperial Academy and Cloud Deer Academy had become aligned?

“We will issue a self-reproach edict, but why do you insist on defending that Xu Qi’an?”

Zhao Shou smiled faintly and declared calmly, “I have yet to inform you—Xu Ningyan is my personal disciple.”

*What?!*

The entire court was dumbstruck. The Nightwatcher, Xu Qi’an, that ruffian, was actually the personal disciple of Zhao Shou, Dean of Cloud Deer Academy?

*He... he’s a Confucian scholar?*

*No wonder he has the title Poet Laureate...*

*Indeed, someone capable of composing so many timeless masterpieces—how could he not be a Confucian scholar?*

*One of our own...*

A flood of thoughts surged through the minds of the court officials.

Wei Yuan furrowed his brows slightly, glancing at Zhao Shou with a gaze filled with doubt.

“You want us to pardon that treacherous villain who slew the nation’s dukes? You want us to continue allowing him to serve in court? Ha, haha, hahahaha...”

Zhao Shou's demand seemed to have utterly enraged Emperor Yuanjing, driving him into a state of near-madness, his laughter frenzied.

“Zhao Shou, We are the ruler of this nation, the Son of Heaven—do you truly dare to kill us? Then let us wager our life against the Confucian Sect’s fortune!”

The maddened Emperor Yuanjing kicked over the grand desk, pacing rapidly across the Sumeru platform before pointing at Zhao Shou in fury. “Intolerable! Simply intolerable! We still have the Jianzheng! We refuse to believe the Jianzheng would stand idly by while you make your move.”

He could not believe that Zhao Shou would stake his life over this matter. He knew that Zhao Shou’s lifelong ambition was to bring glory to Cloud Deer Academy.

He could not believe that the Jianzheng would stand by and watch the Emperor be slain without intervention—unless the Sitianjian intended to sever its ties with the fate of the Great Feng, unless the Jianzheng no longer wished to be a Rank One Arcanist.

After enduring coercion from the court and Zhao Shou’s threats in the throne room, Emperor Yuanjing was on the brink of a breakdown.

At that moment, a radiant light streaked into the hall, manifesting midair as an elderly man clad in white robes with a white beard.

“Yuanjing, issue the self-reproach edict!”

A deafening tremor erupted within Emperor Yuanjing’s mind. He staggered backward, collapsing into the dragon throne in utter defeat.

His gaze became vacant, his complexion lifeless—he now resembled an abandoned old man, a man forsaken by all.

At last, he understood why Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang had been able to unite the court officials to force his hand in issuing the self-reproach edict. He understood why Zhao Shou had dared to enter the capital and confront him.

It was all because of the Jianzheng’s permission.

After uttering those words, the white-robed elder slowly dissipated.

A deathly silence fell upon the hall.

Until Zhao Shou spoke, breaking the stillness: “He has already lost all interest in serving as an official.”

Who?

Naturally, it referred to that commoner who had repeatedly proclaimed he was resigning from his official post.

Emperor Yuanjing remained oblivious, sitting there in a daze, like an old man whose candle of life was flickering in the wind.

……

Stargazing Tower, Bagua platform.

Dressed in plain robes, Xu Qi’an stood proudly, raising his wine jug towards the imperial palace with a smile. “The eras of rise and fall, al in a jug of wine.”

“Look at you, all smug. If it weren’t for Teacher cleaning up your mess, would you still be grinning?”

Seated at a table nearby was a young girl in a yellow dress, her delicate oval face adorned with large, sweet eyes. Her cheeks were stuffed full of food, making her resemble an adorable little hamster.

“How are Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen, and Master Hengyuan?”

Xu Qi’an smiled, unbothered by Chu Caiwei’s teasing.

“They’ll be fully recovered in a few days.” Chu Caiwei wrinkled her nose and grumbled, “but they’ve tired me out — they refused Senior Brother Song’s help in healing their injuries.”

*They’re afraid of becoming his test subjects…* Xu Qi’an thought to himself.

He said nothing more, reflecting on the events of the previous day.

That day, he had gone to the Sitianjian, entrusting Caiwei to deliver a message to the Jianzheng: Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang sought to unite the court to pressure Emperor Yuanjing into issuing a self-reproach edict and hoped for the Jianzheng’s support.

Without the approval of this guardian deity of Great Feng, Emperor Yuanjing, having spent years maintaining a balance among court factions, would not have been so easily cornered. Without this support, Wei Yuan and Wang Zhenwen would not have been able to negotiate terms in a single day and secure the agreement of over two-thirds of the capital’s officials.

The Jianzheng had agreed.

And thus, the scene of Xu Qi’an standing before the Meridian Gate, defying the officials and seizing Duke Cao and the Duke Protector, unfolded.

Executing those two traitors was merely the opening move. Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang sought to force Emperor Yuanjing to admit his guilt—that was the true endgame.

Of course, had Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang chosen to stand aside, Xu Qi’an would have simply slain the two traitors to bring solace to the spirits of Zheng Xinghuai and the 380,000 unjustly slain souls of Chuzhou.

Then, he would have taken his family and left the capital, venturing into the jianghu.

Yesterday, he had visited Cloud Deer Academy and informed Zhao Shou of his plan. Zhao Shou had opposed his decision to leave for the jianghu, as Xu Xinnian was the only scholar from Cloud Deer Academy to enter the Hanlin Academy and had the potential to become Prime Minister in the future.

Thus, the scene of Dean Zhao storming into the palace and threatening Emperor Yuanjing had come to pass.

*No longer an official… Though the connections I’ve built remain, leveraging the court’s power will become difficult. Without an official position, I can no longer climb the ranks. When the time comes to confront the mastermind behind the scenes, I’ll have to rely on other means.*

Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment, then formulated a new strategy: p2w experts + strengthen himself.

*The members of the Heaven and Earth Society are one of my key assets. Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen possess rank four combat strength, while Master Hengyuan is an eighth rank martial monk. However, according to Chu Yuanzhen, his explosive power and endurance are exceptional. Even if his combat strength is not on par with rank four, he surpasses rank five martial artists.*

*Lina’s combat strength is difficult to assess precisely. She is slightly weaker than Hengyuan, but according to Daoist Jinlian, she is the only one in our group who can rival me in talent.*

*As for Number One, their identity remains unknown for now, so I won’t dwell on them. Number Nine, Daoist Jinlian, is one of the biggest p2w bigshots I can establish ties with. He also has many Daoists of the Earth Sect under him who have yet to fall into depravity.*

*Hence, the next priority is to help Daoist Jinlian protect the Nine-Coloured Lotus.*

*As for Number Seven and Number Eight, it is said that the former is the Holy Son of the Heaven Sect and Li Miaozhen’s senior brother. His whereabouts are currently unknown. Whenever he is mentioned, Li Miaozhen becomes evasive, unwilling to speak about him. Eventually, after being pestered, she relented, saying: That bastard is just like you—a lecher. The only difference is that he got what was coming to him, while you haven’t… yet. But one day, you will share his fate.*

*Number Eight has entered seclusion in a life-and-death retreat, and their fate remains uncertain.*

*Aside from Daoist Jinlian, Wei Yuan is another expert I can trust. The Jianzheng does not count—he is too enigmatic. All the goodwill he has shown so far may not be genuine. Until his true intentions are revealed, nothing about him can be taken at face value.*

*Even Master Shenshu is more trustworthy than the Jianzheng, though he is currently in a deep slumber and will not be waking anytime soon. Then there is Master Du’e of the Buddhist sect—he could be considered half a potential ally. If I am truly driven into a corner, I could seek refuge in the Buddhist kingdoms… No, that won’t work. Shenshu is inside me—going to the Buddhist kingdoms would be certain death.*

*As for the Daoist Leader of the Human Sect, Luo Yuheng, she has some ties with Daoist Jinlian, but my relationship with her is superficial at best. She is unlikely to be of any help.*

After organising his thoughts, Xu Qi’an created a mental task list:

Bigshots he can rely on and trust: Daoist Jinlian (Heaven and Earth Society), Wei Yuan.

Potentially trustworthy bigshots: Shenshu, the Jianzheng.

Bigshots he can try to win over: Luo Yuheng, Master Du’e.

Enemies: The mysterious group of arcanists, Emperor Yuanjing.

*After the Chuzhou massacre case is concluded, I need to keep a low profile and focus on advancing to rank five. This won’t be too difficult—I have already touched the threshold of fifth rank. But fifth rank isn’t enough. Only after reaching rank four will I truly have the ability to protect myself.*

*I also need to observe the situation of Erlang and Second Uncle to gauge Emperor Yuanjing’s attitude. If he shows signs of seeking revenge, I must leave the capital immediately. The best outcome would be to advance to rank four before leaving. If I leave now, I will only have Daoist Jinlian to rely on—the other bigshots won’t be of any help at this stage.*

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the Jianzheng, who had been sitting motionless at the table, slowly opened his eyes and said, "His Majesty has agreed to issue the self-reproach edict."

*Whew…* Xu Qi’an let out a long breath of relief.

*A pity we couldn’t force Emperor Yuanjing to abdicate. The old emperor has ruled the court for decades—his foundations remain intact. Don’t be fooled by the fact that the officials pressured him into issuing a self-reproach edict today. If we were to push for his abdication, the majority would not support it. The interests involved, the shifts in court politics… there are too many complications.*

*Hmm, one must not be too greedy. This outcome is already what I wanted,* he thought to himself.

The Jianzheng lowered his head and saw that the side dishes his disciple had prepared to accompany his drink had all ended up in his disciple’s stomach. A sense of melancholy overcame him.

"Caiwei, We merely went to the palace to watch the show..." the Jianzheng sighed.

"Well, no one forced you to just stand by and watch," Chu Caiwei retorted in a sweet voice, justifying herself, "When Lina, Lingyin, and I eat, it's all about speed—first come, first served. Even a six-year-old understands that."

The Jianzheng no longer wished to speak.

Xu Qi’an, curious, asked, "Why haven’t I seen Senior Brother Yang?"

Chu Caiwei replied, "Teacher has suppressed him underground. He’s keeping Sister Zhong Li company."

*What did the King of Posturing do this time to provoke the Jianzheng?* Xu Qi’an wondered.

Chu Caiwei continued, "Teacher, Senior Brother Song asked me to consult you on something."

Upon hearing this, the Jianzheng paused before saying, "Does he want more death row prisoners for his alchemy experiments?"

Chu Caiwei shook her head.

The Jianzheng was just beginning to relax when his little disciple chirped, "He said he wants to go to the Human Sect to seek a master and study under them. But since you are his teacher, he doesn’t dare make the decision himself, so he is seeking your approval."

… The Jianzheng slowly spoke: "What is his reason?"

"Senior Brother Song has reached the final step in his Human Transmutation experiment, but the primordial spirit cannot merge with the physical body. He is deeply troubled, unable to eat or sleep. The Daoist sects are experts in the field of the primordial spirit, so he wishes to study Daoist magic."

As Chu Caiwei spoke, she continued eating. "But Senior Brother Song said his heart still belongs to you, Teacher, and he hopes you won’t get jealous."

The Jianzheng said nothing. He glanced at Chu Caiwei’s greasy mouth, thought of Zhong Li and Yang Qianhuan, who were both suppressed underground, then silently turned his gaze towards the bustling capital, letting out a forlorn sigh.

The mortal world is not worth it.

Xu Qi’an quickly covered his mouth, barely holding back his laughter.

…

In the imperial chambers, chaos reigned.

The canopy curtains were torn down, incense burners toppled, calligraphy scrolls shredded, tables overturned, and gold and silver utensils scattered across the floor.

Emperor Yuanjing stood amidst the “ruins”, his wide sleeves flowing, his long robes dishevelled, and his hair in disarray.

Thirty-seven years on the throne, and today, his dignity had been trampled underfoot by the court officials. For a ruler who prided himself on his mastery of power and manipulation, the blow was devastating.

Even an ordinary man would be driven to madness after such humiliation—let alone an emperor.

"Your Majesty…"

An elderly eunuch cautiously entered from outside, trembling as he called out.

Emperor Yuanjing shot him a cold glare.

"The officials have not left. They are still gathered in Jinluan Hall," the eunuch murmured.

"What are they doing? What more do they want? Did We not already agree to their demands?!"

Emperor Yuanjing waved his hands wildly, his voice hoarse with fury.

The eunuch’s knees gave way, and he knelt on the ground, his expression sorrowful. "Prime Minister Wang Zhenwen and Wei Yuan said that unless they see the self-reproach edict, the court session will not be dismissed."

Emperor Yuanjing staggered back a few steps, his body swaying. A sharp pain surged in his chest, and a bitter, metallic taste welled up in his throat.

…

That day, shortly after the midday meal, the imperial court made an unprecedented announcement.

At the gates of the imperial palace, the inner city, and the outer city—twelve gates in total—twelve bulletin boards were plastered with Emperor Yuanjing’s self-reproach edict.

In his thirty-seven years of reign, this was the first time Emperor Yuanjing had ever issued a self-reproach edict.

Across all levels of society, the capital was in uproar.

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