Chapter 10: Two Kings Make Trouble in the Capital (Part 1)

  At noon, the snow finally stopped, but the sky was still gloomy and gray, making people feel extremely depressed. The wind wasn't strong, but it was bitterly cold, blowing on people's skin and making them shiver. Adding to this was the unique, unbearable atmosphere of the prison, which made being there a truly unpleasant experience. However, Choi Hyeon-cheol didn't mind at all; in fact, he rather enjoyed this kind of environment, especially when he saw the crowd of prisoners kneeling on the ground below the small platform. Choi Hyeon-cheol couldn't help but feel an overwhelming urge to burst out laughing - killing people wasn't a good thing, but if it was an enemy, that was a different story altogether. If killing an enemy's entire family could lead to promotion, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? How could he not celebrate such a great fortune?

  Three years have passed, and the humiliation of three years ago has never been forgotten. Thinking about it now, I feel even more resentful - three years ago, just because of a small mistake in the memorial, I was severely scolded by Prime Minister U-gi in front of all officials. Not to mention that my performance evaluation was greatly affected that year, but also lost the opportunity for promotion. Poor Choi Hyeon-cheol has been in the officialdom for nearly twenty years and has been stagnant until now, especially as an eighth-grade official. How can he bear it? Now, with the change of fortune, I finally have a chance to clear my name from that year's shame. How can Choi Hyeon-cheol not be extremely excited?

  "Report to Lord Cui and Lord Hou, the time is approaching, please give orders." Just as Cui Xuanzhe was excitedly calculating what he would do after this execution, a yamen runner wearing a large red robe rushed up onto the small platform, bowed his fist to Cui Xuanzhe and Hou Shanye, the two chief executioners, and loudly reported.

  "Hmm." Choi Hyeon-cheol exercised his official authority, making a noncommittal sound and slightly tilting his head to cast an inquiring gaze at Daesaheon, who was seated at the lower seat.

  The little man has succeeded! As soon as Hou Shanye saw Cui Xuanzhe's pretentious appearance, he couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. In terms of official rank, Hou Shanye was the Chief Justice, a high-ranking position in the fifth grade, far superior to Cui Xuanzhe's eighth-grade speaking official. In terms of power, the Ministry of Justice was a powerful department, much stronger than the Supervisory Office, which only had the right to report on affairs. Even if it were a matter of the Empress Dowager's favoritism, Hou Shanye believed he was more favored than Cui Xuanzhe, not to mention that the imperial prison was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, and it was none of Cui Xuanzhe's business.

  "Director Choi seems to have finished." Although Hou Shanye didn't want to bother with Choi Hyeon-cheol's attitude, this wasn't the time or place to make a scene, so he just responded lukewarmly.

  "Hmph." Choi Hyeon-cheol was naturally cold and sensitive, so he felt the chill in Hou Sun-ye's tone, and his good mood suddenly turned gloomy. However, at this moment, he couldn't argue with Hou Sun-ye, so he just scowled and hummed a sound, stretched out his hand to take an iron sign from the sign tube, and threw it in front of the official who had come to report, raising his voice to shout: "Carry out the punishment!"

  "Right!" As soon as Cui Xuan heard the tone was not good, the yamen runner did not dare to slack off and quickly responded, picked up the iron sign, held it with both hands, raised it above his head, took a few big steps to the edge of the small platform, looked around at the people below, and shouted loudly: "The time has come, start the trial!"

  "Your Honor, I've offended you, I'll send you on your way now!" With a wave of the execution order, one of the executioners standing beside Magistrate Ouyang sneered coldly, made a slashing motion with his large knife, let out a low growl, gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, and raised the knife, ready to strike.

  It's finally over, it's good that it's ending like this! Shangguan Yi struggled to lift his eyelids and glanced at the butcher knife gleaming with a cold light under the snow, feeling an inexplicable sense of relief in his heart. As for death, Shangguan Yi had long been aware of it. When he was ordered to draft the edict of abolition, he knew that he would probably end up like this. However, Shangguan Yi did not regret it, even if he had the chance to turn back, he would not change his original intention. Some things are unavoidable choices for a prime minister, and now everything is finally going to pass. Everything will be left to history books to comment on. Shangguan Yi closed his eyes wearily and waited quietly for the final moment to arrive, a faint smile appearing on his pale face.

  "Spare his life!"

  "His Majesty the King has arrived!"

  "The King of Zhou has arrived!"

  ……

  The butcher's knife had already been raised, but before it fell, a loud shout suddenly rang out, and immediately a team of robust soldiers escorted two young men wearing royal robes from the outside of the prison, just in time to arrive were Li Xian and Li Xian, these two little brothers.

  Danger! Li Xian's eyes were sharp, and as soon as he entered the small school field of the prison, he saw Shangguan Yi waiting to be executed. In his haste, he shouted: "Take him down!", As soon as the words came out, several guards from the Zhou Wang Fu followed closely behind him, rushing out like a whirlwind, pushing away the executioner who was stunned like a wooden chicken, and surrounding Shangguan Yi in the middle, with several horizontal knives crossed and opened, not allowing the Da Li Si officials to approach half a step.

  What a relief! Fortunately, they arrived just in time. Seeing that Shangguan Yi had already been protected by his guards, Li Xian's hanging heart finally fell to the ground, and he secretly called himself lucky. The life or death of Shangguan Yi was the key to this battle. As long as he was alive, there was a chance to turn things around. But if he were dead, even with reason on their side, it would be difficult to avoid being trapped in a desperate situation. In fact, from the Li Wang's mansion to the imperial prison, it was only about the time it took to burn an incense stick. It shouldn't have been so tense, but Li Xian insisted on waiting until Shangguan Fu was captured and the account book was seized before sending troops to the imperial prison, almost missing the opportunity. This way of doing things, prioritizing the secondary over the primary, really annoyed Li Xian, but he couldn't directly point it out and could only let Li Xian continue to act smartly. Fortunately, everything had been caught up with, perhaps this was fate!

  "Junior official, Surveillance Commissioner Cui Xuanzhe (Dalizheng Hou Shanyey) paid respects to the Lu Wang Palace and then to the Zhou Wang Palace." Cui and Hou, both officials in charge of executions, had not expected that two imperial princes would forcibly enter the prison at such a sensitive time. When they saw their superior officer being escorted away by the guards from the Zhou Wang Palace, they were both startled and flustered, but did not dare to lose their composure. They hastily went forward to greet them, bowing and asking after their well-being.

  "It's all right, young Wang arrived suddenly and caused a disturbance. Please forgive him, esteemed gentlemen." Li Xian, although holding the powerful tool of Shangguan Fu, still had some concerns that this forced entry into the prison might go awry. But seeing Cui and Hou in such disarray, his heart became more at ease. He smiled slightly and raised his hand in a gentle gesture, speaking as if chatting idly.

  "I dare not, I dare not. The humble official is here to carry out the imperial edict, and it would be an honor for us if Your Highnesses were to personally oversee and instruct us." Cui and Hou, both seasoned officials, wouldn't think that Li Xian's polite words would make them feel lucky, so they quickly exchanged a glance with each other. Then, Cui Xuan spoke up, his tone humble and courteous, but clearly implying that the two princes had no right to intervene in this matter - according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, princes who were not serving in the imperial court were not allowed to interfere with state affairs unless they were specifically ordered to do so. If they did, it would be considered a violation of the law and would result in severe punishment.

  "Oh? An imperial edict? How interesting! As far as I know, the punishment of beheading is usually carried out in autumn or spring. Is this winter season also suitable for execution? Could it be that Father Emperor has issued a decree himself? I'm very curious, but I don't know where the imperial edict spoken by Cui Yuanshi is. May I take a look?

  Li Xian steeled his heart to use the case of overturning the verdict of Shangguan Yi to rise in the court, and would not be intimidated by Cui Huan's threatening words. He looked at Cui and Hou with a suspicious expression, making them feel uneasy, before laughing and throwing out a series of questions."

  "This, this..." Choi Hyeon-cheol was stunned by Lee Hyun's consecutive questions and couldn't utter a complete sentence, so he had to turn his pleading gaze to Hou Shanye, who was standing with his head down beside him, hoping that Hou would come out and help him get out of the predicament.

  "Hey, Hou……” Li Xian was after all young and impulsive. As soon as he saw Cui Xuanzhe being refuted, he immediately thought of shifting his firepower to Hou Shanye, completely unaware of the implications behind Hou Shanye's refusal to help Cui Xuanzhe in his predicament.

  What a naive fool, only thinking of his own interests and not knowing how to take advantage of the differences within the enemy's ranks. Li Xian didn't notice the difference between Cui and Hou, but Li Xian saw through it at a glance, and with a slight movement in his heart, he had already guessed Hou Shan Ye's intention to protect himself. Seeing that Li Xian was about to shift the focus, he became somewhat anxious, and before Li Xian could finish speaking, he interrupted him, asking: "Is Cui Yu Shi acting on behalf of Qiao? What a big nerve!"

  "Not bad, Cui Yu Shi has repeatedly mentioned the imperial edict, I suppose he must have brought a decree from the Emperor himself. What's wrong with showing it to us?" Li Xian's sudden words interrupted his questioning, and Li Xian couldn't help but feel a little displeased in his heart, his eyebrows furrowing involuntarily. However, he endured it and didn't lash out at Li Xian, instead following up on Li Xian's words and pressing Cui Xuan for an answer.

  Panic, thorough panic, facing the step-by-step pressure of the two princes, Cui Xuanzhe's whole body trembled like a sieve, his head and face covered in cold sweat. His mouth twitched for half a day, but he couldn't even answer a single question. As for the imperial edict regarding the case of Shangguan Yi, it was naturally there, but that was a document of judgment, specifying that the execution would take place after the spring opened. The imperial edict ordering an early execution was clearly non-existent. Of course, the empress's oral order did exist, but since it was a secret order, how could it be brought out in public? Poor Cui Xuanzhe racked his brains and couldn't come up with a suitable excuse. The execution ground suddenly fell silent...