Chapter 128

Chapter 128: Compassionate Heart Shares the People's Suffering (Part 1)

Due to the sudden turn of events, the sacrificial ceremony ended somewhat hastily, but fortunately, all the 

necessary rituals were completed. The assassin was taken away by the guards and imprisoned, handed over to 

the Ministry of Justice for trial.

“What have they found out?” Si Cang Qing sat in a soft chair, looking at Mo Zhiyan.

“Master, the assassin claimed to be Ke Wengui, a constable from Hongke Township in Chaojiang County,” Mo 

Zhiyan frowned, hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Half a month ago, a plague broke out 

in Hongke Township… To prevent the spread of the plague, the Chaojiang government sent soldiers to gather 

all 2,232 people of Hongke Township together and burn them to death!”

“A plague?!” Everyone was shocked.

The cup in his hand shattered in his hand. Si Cang Qing's tone was icy: "Hong Hengzheng," his gaze turned cold 

as he looked at the man, "As a high-ranking official in the Censorate, such a major incident occurred, yet no one 

reported it! What punishment should you receive for dereliction of duty!"

Hong Hengzheng immediately knelt down. "Your Majesty, I know my mistake and beg for punishment!"

Si Cang Qing glared at him coldly. "What use is punishment when such a major incident occurs in a local area! 

I order you to immediately investigate why such a blunder occurred in the Chaojiang Censorate. Liu Yi!"

"Your Majesty, minister is here!"

"You will accompany me to interrogate Ke Wengui and investigate the plague!"

"Your Majesty, minister obeys!"

In the dark prison, the man was bound to torture instruments, his body covered in wounds and bloodstains.

Liu Yi frowned and shouted at the jailer, "How dare you resort to torture without authorization?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive us," the jailer knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling, "He attempted suicide 

three times, we had no choice but to resort to this drastic measure to bind him..."

Before the jailer could finish speaking, the man snapped out of his semi-conscious state. Spotting Si Cang Qing 

standing before him, he spat and cursed, “You tyrant! Give me back my fellow villagers from Hongke!” He began 

thrashing violently, the chains tightening around his body and leaving fresh wounds.

“How dare you!” Liu Yi snapped. “You shall not speak insolently before His Majesty!”

“Pah!” The man spat again, his voice thick with venom. “You lackey of a tyrant! Don't think your power makes 

you untouchable! Though I, Ke Wengui, am powerless now to kill you tyrant's lackeys, when I die, I shall return 

as a vengeful spirit to claim your lives!”

Glancing at the expressionless Si Cang Qing, Liu Yi remained unmoved. His voice was cold but measured: 

"Does spewing venom save the lives of your fellow villagers? The plague ravaging Hongke Township was 

concealed from the court. Now, with the situation critical and the pestilence showing no mercy, I demand you 

recount the entire sequence of events! “He added, ”I pledge my head as collateral. Once the truth is uncovered, 

justice shall be served!"

Hearing this, though the man still gritted his teeth in fury, he regained some composure and proceeded to recount 

the entire sequence of events leading to the plague outbreak in Hongke Township.

Half a month prior, a household in Hongke Township had suddenly fallen victim to a strange illness. Within two 

days, every member perished, and the affliction swiftly spread throughout the township. Seeing the dire situation, 

Ke Wengui immediately rushed to the Chaojang County Magistrate's Office seeking aid. Unexpectedly, while the 

magistrate publicly promised to aid the villagers, he secretly mobilized a large contingent of soldiers that very 

night to Hongke Township. Under the pretense of medical treatment, they gathered all the villagers together. 

Unbeknownst to anyone, the soldiers had already prepared everything. Once everyone was assembled, they set 

fire to the enclosure, burning all the villagers alive—sick or healthy alike.

Ke Wengui, however, was secretly released by an ally within the county office during his return journey. This ally 

told him it was all done under imperial orders...

When he finally evaded the authorities' manhunt and returned to his village, he could only see ruins—his fellow 

villagers and homes reduced to ashes!

“You say the court didn't know...” Ke Wengui wept bitterly, his voice choked with grief. “If not for the court's 

orders, would Zhao Guangyu dare issue such a command? Two thousand two hundred and thirty-two lives! The 

court refused to save them, yet... yet...”

He swallowed hard, his eyes burning with hatred as he fixed them on Si Cang Qing. “If not for the tyrant's cruelty, 

claiming the people as divine punishment, our Hongke Township wouldn't have been struck by plague! Our 

villagers wouldn't have perished so unjustly in the flames!”

Si Cang Qing merely returned his gaze coldly, still silent.

Liu Yi frowned deeply. “Ke Wengui, the court truly knew nothing of this. The burning of the villagers was an 

order issued arbitrarily by Zhao Guangyu. The court will immediately dispatch officials to Chaojang to investigate 

this case. All involved will be dealt with according to the law! Regarding the plague, the court will also send 

physicians to provide aid. The villagers of Hongke Township shall not die in vain!”

“Ha,” Ke Wengui sneered, yet tears welled in his eyes. “With all the villagers dead, what use is the imperial court 

now? When the villagers suffered from the plague, where was the court? When they were burned alive, where was 

the court?”

Even Liu Yi was rendered speechless, his expression momentarily frozen.

"Heavenly punishment descends upon the people," Si Cang Qing suddenly spoke, his voice icy. "Who told you 

it was heavenly punishment?"

Ke Wengui was slightly taken aback, then glared at Si Cang Qing with resentment. "If you hadn't waged war 

everywhere, committing countless atrocities, how could this blood debt have fallen on the common people!"

Si Cang Qing looked at him coldly, then asked again, "Who proposed the idea of ​​heavenly punishment?"

Even with a belly full of hatred, Ke Wengui was still stunned by the sudden burst of power from the other party, 

and blurted out, "It was... the divine will of the Phoenix Flower Goddess..."

◇Cang◇Huang◇Seven◇Palaces◇

The bright sunlight was so intense it blinded everyone.

High walls stood on either side. Si Cang Qing walked slowly, his expression unreadable. Beside him, Liu Yi 

hesitated before speaking, "Your Majesty, please don't take Ke Wengui's words to heart. This plague has nothing 

to do with Your Majesty… Heavenly punishment is just a way to fool the people."

Slightly puzzled, Si Cang Qing glanced at him. This man wasn't concerned about the people, but rather about him. 

He coldly grunted, "I never care what others say!"

What he cared about was the mastermind behind the propaganda, and… such a serious matter, the negligence of 

the Censorate was one thing. The Shadow Guards hadn't reported a single thing, and Qiu Ping Tian's spies hadn't 

mentioned it either.

The coincidences were suspicious. But… a plague is a natural disaster; could it really be controlled by humans? 

Otherwise… that Phoenix Flower Goddess, who gained local reverence a few years ago, has now displayed such 

“divine will.”

Liu Yi paused, then lowered his eyes and said, “Your Majesty, this plague, although…” his tone was strained, 

“the fact that those who contracted the disease have been burned doesn’t mean the plague has been eradicated… 

I request permission to go to Chaojiang and investigate Zhao Guangyu and the others!”

Si Cang Qing stopped, turned back to look at the man calmly, and said, “You will remain in the capital for now.” 

He would wait until the mysteries were solved. Besides, the severity of the plague suggests it cannot be easily 

dealt with.

"Master," Feng Lan handed the secret report to Si Cang Qing, his face solemn, "this is the information I've 

gathered... The day after the Hongke Township incident, news leaked out, and chaos erupted in all the townships 

of Chaojiang. Dongying Tower was attacked in the Chaojiang area and has been stalled ever since. Meanwhile, 

officials from the Chaojiang Surveillance Bureau were injured by rioters after the Hongke Township incident..."

Over here, Qiu Ping Tian, his face also cold, continued, "Qiuji's shops in Chaojiang were attacked a few days ago. 

After the incident, my spies tried to contact me, but they were also hunted down by unknown assailants... In the 

Hongke Township incident, all of Qiuji's shops in Chaojiang were looted..."

In fact, the Chaojiang area is now in complete chaos. And they only learned of this after the assassination attempt 

at the Heaven-worshiping ceremony!

If the plague was a natural disaster, then this series of coincidences was a man-made catastrophe deliberately 

orchestrated!

With a cold glint in his eyes, Si Cang Qing suddenly stood up and strode outside. "Someone, go to the Southwest 

General's Mansion!"

The Southwest General's Mansion was Mo Qingjue's residence. That day, Si Cang Qing had secretly ordered 

the detention of that person, but due to insufficient evidence, and to avoid attracting attention, he had quietly 

placed the man under house arrest in his mansion.

"Who are you?" Si Cang Qing abruptly grabbed "Mo Qingjue," who was about to bow respectfully, and gripped 

his neck. Before the man could respond, he demanded, "Speak! Where is Mo Qingjue now?"

The man tilted his head back, mouth agape, his face pale, but his eyes shone with defiance and mockery.

Si Cang Qing gradually increased the pressure in his hand. After staring at the man for a long time, he suddenly 

flung him away, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud.

Blood gushed from his forehead. Si Cang Qing stood silently, motionless, yet his entire being radiated a murderous

aura. Furniture inside the room toppled and crashed to the ground.

Mo, Qing, Jue!

“Liu Yi, Hong Hengzheng, An Ping, you shall lead 30,000 elite troops to Chaojiang County immediately.” Inside 

the imperial study, Si Cang Qing coldly issued orders, one by one. “Immediately arrest all officials in Chaojiang 

County. Liu Yi, pacify the local rioters. Hong Hengzheng, take charge of the Chaojiang Surveillance Bureau and 

cooperate with Liu Yi. An Ping, stand by at all times. If a riot occurs, suppress it regardless of the reason!”

“Your Majesty, we obey!”

Just then, Feng Lan suddenly burst into the imperial study. He knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, 

“Your Majesty, all twelve townships of Chaojiang have been struck by plague. Nearly a thousand have been 

infected. The Chaojiang County government cannot suppress it, and the plague has begun to spread to the 

surrounding areas!”

Feng Lan's words shocked everyone in the study. Initially, while horrified by the burning of civilians, they were 

somewhat relieved, not fearing the spread of the plague… But now it seemed the plague was out of control.

More terrifying than the riots were the incurable and vicious plague.

For a moment, the room was silent, utterly still. Because of the plague outbreak, even officials going to the 

Chao River would inevitably face the risk of infection.

After a pause, Feng Lan continued, "The people are terrified and are all turning to the Phoenix Flower Goddess 

for help. Phoenix temples and large numbers of followers have appeared everywhere!"

Si Cang Qing remained silent.

Suppressing his anxiety, Liu Yi volunteered again, "Your Majesty, we will immediately proceed to Chaojiang to 

appease the people and prevent them from being exploited by the bandits."

"Qing," Cheng Tian Bi, who had been silent until now, also knelt down in the center, "I will go with you. The 

plague has already spread; the only way is to find an antidote. My medical skills are learned from the God of 

Medicine; once I arrive, I will surely find a cure."

Si Cang Qing glanced indifferently at the crowd. After the initial panic, everyone had calmed down.

This time, perhaps, is the true calamity for Canghuan! In extreme panic, people can only rely on ethereal spiritual 

power, the Phoenix Flower Goddess…

In this round, he suffered a crushing defeat!

Previous Front Page Next