Chapter Forty-Seven: The One Who Will Kill You

It was as if he could sense the words burning in the breast of the man in the new military coat. Zhu Cilang laughed aloud, his voice ringing out: “What now? You claim to be hungry soldiers desperate to survive, seeking only justice and the punishment of corrupt officials—is that a lie? Do you harbor other designs? I am here as a representative sent by the Ministry of Revenue to thoroughly investigate the accounts of the Capital Garrison. Have you not wondered why, though the court has clearly issued military stipends, you receive nothing? I can answer every question you have! What’s more, the ledgers are already delivered to the Ministry of Revenue. All that remains is for His Majesty’s wrath to strike, and the treacherous will be swept away. When the corrupt are punished, your stipends will naturally be restored. So, this chaos—could it be that someone has incited you for ulterior motives?”

“Impossible! We saw with our own eyes—the Imperial Academy is surrounded, not a single cavalryman broke through. How could any ledger get out?” the man in the new military coat rasped incredulously, unable to believe it.

“Your words, brother, truly puzzle me,” Zhu Cilang replied. “Since I have already sent the account books to the Ministry, only waiting for the traitors to be seized, why do you show not the slightest joy or excitement? Instead, you are suspicious, repeating that the place was sealed and no one could leave. It seems you have no desire to see corrupt officials punished at all. Could it be, as I suspect, that the Right Guard of the Five Armies has been manipulated by someone with dark designs—and that what they seek is not justice, but something else entirely?”

The sense of righteous indignation and compassion Zhu Cilang displayed was so palpable that everyone present felt their resolve waver. All eyes turned to Qiao San’er and the man in the new military coat, as if their gaze had weight.

“You officials have played these tricks on us time and again. Are you here to deceive us yet again?” Suddenly, Qiao San’er stood abruptly, stepping onto the terrace and slowly approaching Zhu Cilang. “Isn’t this just another attempt to soothe us for now? When the trouble passes and the court’s armies press in, all your promises will prove empty! The moment we calm down, the army can strip us of our arms and butcher us as they please! As for this so-called investigation of corruption and the military stipends, I fear it’s nothing but a fabrication!”

Hearing Qiao San’er’s cunning words, the man in the new military coat felt a wave of relief. Thank goodness Qiao San’er had covered for him; no flaw had slipped through.

No! Qin Xia must be killed at once. If not, with that sharp tongue of his, he’ll turn the situation around. A man who can do this is a threat that no one can ignore.

With that, the man in the new military coat desperately signaled to Qiao San’er.

Qiao Bosheng nodded slowly, then called out in a loud voice to the disorderly soldiers: “Brothers, we’ve surrounded the Academy ourselves; how could anything slip through? Every door is blocked by us, and we’ve had scouts watching the place—no one has left. Qin Xia’s words are nothing but a ploy to calm us down, so later we can be slaughtered as we please! Brothers—”

But before Qiao Bosheng could finish, a clear voice suddenly cut him off.

“In the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, the Capital Garrison drew over 1,074,000 shi of rice—a figure fifty-seven thousand higher than in the forty-sixth year of Wanli. In the seventh, eighth, and ninth months of that year, there were nine instances of three consecutive days of drills. Thus, though the Garrison drew over a million shi of rice a year, nearly half was wasted on constant exercises. Yet, as I understand it, this was the hardest year for the Right Guard of the Five Armies—some could not even feed their newborns, who were drowned out of desperation…” Zhu Cilang drew from his breast a thick volume bearing the title “Capital Garrison Accounts Deciphered.” He addressed Qiao San’er: “You don’t trust me, do you? But what of these accounts from the thirteenth year of Chongzhen—do you believe them?”

“He actually calculated it!” The man in the new military coat was thunderstruck, staring at the scene, his eyes wide with fear.

“In the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, the Garrison drew over a million shi of rice. I was a soldier in the camp that year, but I only received eight months’ rations, and the actual amount was only sixty percent. The monetary equivalent was cut to half. With so little to eat, my newborn twins both died…” Suddenly, someone in the crowd howled in grief.

“Every year, a million shi of rice come to the Garrison—why are we, the soldiers, left with nothing?”

“Let him read on! We demand justice!”

The mob grew clamorous. They had rebelled with death in their hearts, the anger stoked by Qiao San’er blazing within them, a fury that could destroy the world to balance their sense of betrayal. Now, with a real chance to reclaim their owed wages and a measure of justice, hope rekindled in their eyes, and Qin Xia’s words gained their trust.

As the mob shouted, the man in the new military coat, terrified, frantically signaled to Qiao San’er, screaming inside, “You witless fool, why are you hesitating? Cut Qin Xia down at once, before he causes more chaos!”

Seeing the signal, Qiao Bosheng’s forehead glistened with a cold sweat. He knew that if Qin Xia was allowed to continue, who knew what further trouble he might stir. At this moment, Qiao Bosheng grew wary of such scholars—under the gaze of hundreds of blades and thousands of eyes, he could still speak so calmly, even quietly drawing the situation into his control.

Taking a deep breath, Qiao Bosheng subtly signaled to Old Seventeen, who fixed his gaze on Zhu Cilang and began to advance.

Just as these furtive actions took place, Zhu Cilang suddenly raised the account book high and took a few steps forward, speaking so that none could miss his words: “I know you brothers do not trust my empty words, so I have kept this compiled summary of the Capital Garrison’s deciphered accounts. Within are the doubts and evidence of the garrison’s finances, all in full. To show my good faith, I shall hand this to the leader you all trust most. Here—by my own hand—I entrust this to you. Brother, may I have your name?”

Zhu Cilang raised the ledger, his gaze earnest as he looked to Qiao San’er.

Qiao San’er and the man in the new military coat both froze, their hearts pounding as they stared at the ledger, anxiety rising within them.

“The ledger must never be allowed to leave our hands!” This thought flashed through both their minds.

Qiao Bosheng and the man in the new military coat approached together, eyes fixed on the ledger, unable to look away. As they walked, Qiao San’er forced a rare smile and said, “I am Qiao…”

Just as Zhu Cilang closed to within three steps, a furious shout, loud as thunder in summer, suddenly rang out: “Chen Gaowen!”

“Who called me?” the man in the new military coat replied reflexively.

“The one who’s come to kill you!”

In that instant, time seemed to slow as all eyes turned to them. Zhu Cilang drew a flexible sword from his waist with lightning speed, the blade flashing like a streak of light. Blood spattered as the sword struck.

The man’s felt hat flew into the air, and a familiar horse-faced man fell back, eyes wide in death.