Reckoning

He Lingchuan let out a whistle, and the rock sheep bounded out from behind, still chewing on several tender blades of grass. The two rode at breakneck speed, oblivious to everyone around them. "Are we headed toward Jinghong Crossing?" "Hahahaha!" Fu Shanyue threw his head back and laughed. "Quick, congratulate me! There's been a major breakthrough in the elixir of immortality case." He Lingchuan smiled. "What, who did National Preceptor Qingyang name?" "How did you..." Fu Shanyue paused, startled, then chuckled. "Want to guess?" Seeing Fu Shanyue beaming with excitement, He Lingchuan had no need to guess. "The Zhongsun family is definitely on the list, right?" Fu Shanyue snapped his fingers. "Sharp!" "Just as you wished." Fu Shanyue held a grudge against the Zhongsun family, so of course he was delighted to see their downfall. Then again, the Zhongsun family had been the very first implicated in the elixir of immortality case. Even though the old fish-man of the family had flatly denied it, everyone in Beijia from top to bottom knew full well that there was a ninety-percent chance Zhongsun Chi had taken the elixir. It could be said that the Zhongsun family had played a rather sordid role in this case, causing a terrible fallout and thrusting themselves directly into the eye of the storm. Now that National Preceptor Qingyang had been arrested, the commoners did not care about where the divine blood came from. They only wanted to see the powerful elites who defied the gods' will and secretly purchased the elixir get their just deserts. So the Zhongsun family absolutely had to be on the list. "Doesn't this vent some anger for you too?" Fu Shanyue teased with a laugh. "Don't play generous with me. Between the explosion at the postal station and the poisoning, the Zhongsun family definitely had a hand in at least one. You know that clearly in your heart, don't you, kid?" "It is indeed what I hoped for." He Lingchuan perfunctorily cupped his hands toward the north. "The Heavenly Palace is truly wise and just, returning the truth to the world!" He placed heavy emphasis on the word "truth." "Goshawk Wu came to report that the Demon Emperor just approved the arrest warrant for Zhongsun Chi, and the Minister of Justice is heading out to take him in right now." Fu Shanyue's brows danced with excitement. "Those officials drag their feet. If we rush over now, we can still catch the show while it's hot." The two took the ground-level Jinghong Crossing to reach the Floating Isle and hurried straight to the Zhongsun residence. This was He Lingchuan's first time on this isle. The hallmark here was how the light of the lakes and shadows of the mountains mirrored and linked together, creating an exquisite landscape where lakes cradled islands and islands nestled within lakes. In the past, the Zhongsun family had bought two adjoining residences and connected them, crafting a unique underwater grand garden on the floating isle. The Zhongsun family's main entrance was quite unusual as well. It was situated on the shaded side of the slopes, enveloped in dense, verdant vegetation, moist air, and lush fernery everywhere, giving it the primal feel of a swampland. Standing there, He Lingchuan felt as though he were gazing into a colossal tropical paludarium. Outside the gate stood several guards armed with halberds, shooing away onlookers who wandered too close. Contrary to He Lingchuan's expectations, though several hundred spectators had gathered, they were not packed three layers deep to the point of gridlock. Of course—there were only thirty thousand people on this entire isle. Still, the murmur of the crowd was already quite loud. Usually, the gates of these noble families were quiet and peaceful, or bustling with carriages and prestigious visitors. When had there ever been such an unusual scene as today? Fu Shanyue remarked with wonder, "Did the Minister of Justice arrive that quickly this time? That doesn't make sense." As time passed, more and more onlookers gathered outside. Quite a few were draped in fine silks and satins, clearly sent by their masters to gather information. Fu Shanyue actually recognized several of them, and they came over to pay their respects. Just as Fu Shanyue was about to turn the scene into a casual tea party, a stir ran through the crowd. "They're coming out! They're coming out!" The two looked closely. A squad of guards marched out of the garden estate, followed by a large cluster of blue-skinned jiaoren. The jiaoren leading the group was aged, his scales shedding and his skin mottled with white patches. One glance told He Lingchuan that this was likely the family patriarch, Zhongsun Chi. Among the younger jiaoren was a familiar face: Zhongsun Ce, whom He Lingchuan had seen at the Dun Garden auction. The jiaoren looked anxious and uneasy; some appeared lost and bewildered, while others wore expressions as though mourning their own parents. Fu Shanyue murmured to He Lingchuan, "The one at the very front is Minister of Justice Huo Ji'an." He Lingchuan looked carefully and saw a man with a square jaw and a full beard. His appearance seemed coarse and unrefined, yet his gaze was as sharp as a blade. Wherever his eyes swept, onlookers bowed their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. When the procession reached the entrance, Fu Shanyue stepped forward to greet him. "Minister Huo!" Minister of Justice Huo Ji'an recognized him, a faint smile breaking across his otherwise cold expression. "What brings Your Highness here?" "I happened to be on my way to Lord Wu's manor. Passing by, I thought I'd drop in to see the excitement." He Lingchuan inwardly scoffed. *Happened to, my foot! This fellow rushed all the way from the lower city to the floating isle, nearly running his horse's legs off.* Huo Ji'an understood as well, but there was no need to call him out. He simply said, "I am on official business and must escort Lord Zhongsun. Shall we catch up later?" Fu Shanyue's gaze fell upon Zhongsun Chi, and he feigned great shock. "Oh, Lord Zhongsun, what happened to you?" Zhongsun Chi had blue skin, so He Lingchuan could not tell whether his complexion had changed, but the look of utter despair in his eyes could not be hidden. The old fish-man kept his eyelids drooped, completely drained of spirit. Even without the sun shining today, the daylight felt painfully glaring to him. Earlier, when the Minister of Justice led troops into his estate and declared in a flat, businesslike tone that "National Preceptor Qingyang has named you for illicitly purchasing the elixir of immortality," Zhongsun Chi had felt the world spin. After worrying for so many days, the Zhongsun family had ultimately failed to escape it. In the face of Fu Shanyue's taunt, the Zhongsun family remained dead silent. Only a few youths glared at him with indignant eyes. Zhongsun Chi suddenly looked up and asked Fu Shanyue, "Who else has been arrested?" The law could not punish everyone. If too many people were implicated in the elixir of immortality case, he might still have a chance... He had already asked Huo Ji'an this question earlier, but Huo had ignored him. With the Minister of Justice standing right beside them, how could Fu Shanyue answer? Huo Ji'an said, "Lord Zhongsun must return with me to assist with the investigation. Your Highness will learn the details in a few days." Fu Shanyue gave an understanding nod and stepped aside. "Minister Huo's official duties take precedence!" After walking a few paces, Zhongsun Chi suddenly whipped his head around to look at Fu Shanyue. "Fu Shan brat, you and your father won't come to a good end either." It was as though he had finally snapped out of his daze, his eyes blazing with sheer hatred. "Is that so?" Fu Shanyue waved at him. "I'm afraid you won't live to see that day. Safe travels, old man!" Watching Zhongsun Chi and Zhongsun Ce get taken away by the authorities, the rest of the Zhongsun clan crowded around the gate, utterly at a loss. They had lived comfortable, peaceful lives on this island for decades, never imagining that a day like this would come. Fu Shanyue wore a faint smirk and took a deep breath. "The air on the island is truly wonderful today." He Lingchuan chimed in, "The feng shui here is exceptional." "In six months to a year, this underwater garden will probably be put up for sale." Fu Shanyue cracked his whip in the air. "When the time comes, buying it to raise fish wouldn't be a bad idea." Someone from the Zhongsun family glared at him furiously. "What kind of nonsense are you babbling..." Before the speaker could finish, a family member yanked him back. Under the pointing and whispering of the onlookers, the jiaoren quickly retreated inside the estate. The heavy gates slammed shut, shutting out everyone's prying eyes. "Nothing left to see. Let's head back." Having seen the old man Zhongsun off on his final journey, Fu Shanyue was thoroughly satisfied. The two turned their mounts around and started back. Fu Shanyue said coolly, "The Zhongsun family is finished." "With so many people in the Zhongsun family, can't they think of a way to fish the old man out?" "Every single one of them is mediocre. Do they have that kind of ability?" Fu Shanyue scoffed. "Even if they did, the situation is beyond saving. The Demon Emperor is dead set on dealing with their family this time. The old man looked so awful just now probably because he realized that too." He jutted his chin toward the gate behind them. "Believe me, if a few of those fish-folk have half a brain, once the doors shut, they won't be thinking about how to fish the old man out—they'll be thinking about how to carve up the family property and grab as much silver as they can. Before the tree falls, the monkeys have to snatch as much fruit as they can carry. "In two months at most, the treasures the old man Zhongsun hoarded for years will start popping up in the ghost market. Who knows, maybe they'll even be at the next Dun Garden auction." The Zhongsun family was likely finished this time. Two centuries of glory, washed away in the blink of an eye like dust in wind and rain—how swift it was. Earn money in the imperial capital, spend it in the imperial capital; don't even think of taking a single copper coin home. Heh, nobody escaped that iron law. "Besides the jiaoren, National Preceptor Qingyang named six other families," Fu Shanyue continued. "Some can summon the wind and command the rain, while others are insignificant petty officials; some have already retired, while others still hold posts in the royal court. I heard the Minister of Justice is sending men to invite them in as well." Using the word "invite" was far too polite. According to the news He Lingchuan had heard, one of those families resided in the lower city, and chaos had already erupted there. The soldiers sent by the Minister of Justice were like wolves and tigers, and the onlookers crowding outside to watch the drama were packed like sardines. "It seems the Heavenly Prison will soon be overflowing." He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then added, "So only seven families bought the elixir of immortality?" That clearly defied reality. Fu Shanyue gave a light cough. "Finding seven families is already pretty good. At least it gives us an explanation." Some things were understood tacitly without needing to be said aloud. How could only a mere seven families have bought the elixir of immortality? But if every offending official were taken down, the shockwave to the royal court would be nothing short of a massive tsunami. When too many people were implicated, it was time to trot out that resounding old adage: The law cannot punish everyone. Grab a few prominent examples to appease the vassal demon kings and silence the murmurs of the public, and that would suffice. As for the rest, turn a blind eye, make the mesh of the net a little wider, and let it pass. Water that is too clear harbors no fish. As for the common folk questioning why so few were arrested—you peasants aren't the ones handling the case; do you have hard evidence in your hands? Without evidence, what right do you have to question anything? Dare say more, and see if you aren't charged with making false accusations! "How will Lingxu City deal with these buyers?" "The punishment won't be light," Fu Shanyue said with a grin. "Since they've been pushed out to take the fall, they'll have to bear the wrath of both the celestial gods and the vassal kingdoms." A double dose of fury. He Lingchuan pondered for a moment. "What about Cen Boqing?" "With National Preceptor Qingyang's fall, he becomes an accomplice," Fu Shanyue replied, stroking his chin. "It will depend on how the Minister of Agriculture maneuvers behind the scenes. And Yao Xingning—tsk, she'll certainly pull every string she can too." "Is the Minister of Agriculture untouched?" "Some form of punishment is unavoidable." Even Fu Shanyue was uncertain. "Whether he'll actually be convicted of a crime, that's hard to say." There were countless intricacies involved, and He Lingchuan knew next to nothing about Lingxu City's legal codes. "Then what about National Preceptor Qingyang herself?" "That's the hardest to predict." At the mention of National Preceptor Qingyang, Fu Shanyue turned solemn. "Her ties with two generations of Demon Emperors run deep. Frankly, I'm quite surprised she was actually taken down this time." "Perhaps because the Heavenly Palace took an unyielding stance?" The high-stakes gambits between the Demon Emperor and the Heavenly Palace were far beyond what a minor Chiyan crown prince could know. "Once the dust settles on this matter, I'll be returning to Chiyan. What about you? Will you head back with me?"