"Why...why did you bring so many Imperial Guards?"

Zhang Gonggong's heart skipped a beat, his face changed drastically, and his muscles even twitched slightly.

"If I hadn't come, wouldn't you, this dog of a eunuch, have framed and killed Inspector Sun!"

Xiong Juzheng strode forward, his face ashen, and shouted at the guards behind him, "Men, seize this dog eunuch!"

"yes!"

The group of Imperial Guards behind Xiong Juzheng responded in unison and, without saying a word, captured and detained Eunuch Zhang.

Zhang Gonggong still tried to struggle, arguing, "Lord Xiong... why are you doing this? Have you arrested the wrong person? This person is the one who has committed heinous crimes. He murdered the imperial envoy, massacred the guard of honor, and even drove them to their deaths..."

"Shut up!"

Before Eunuch Zhang could finish speaking, Xiong Juzheng swung his arm and slapped him hard across the face.

With a sharp "smack!", the old eunuch was almost knocked unconscious.

"You dog eunuch!"

"You really played a brilliant game. If it weren't for my... I... I hadn't been careful and personally went to the palace, I would have almost been tricked by you, you dog eunuch!"

After Xiong Juzheng finished speaking, he took out a pure gold engraved seal from his bosom and held it high above his head.

"With the golden seal here, it's as if His Majesty is personally present!"

"His Majesty has issued a verbal order; why are you all kneeling now!"

Everyone was stunned.

The golden seal—that was a gift bestowed by His Majesty.

If someone else were to produce the gold seal, some might question it, but since it was held by Xiong Juzheng, the Prefect of the Capital, accompanied by Imperial Guards, it was absolutely authentic.

The crowd was stunned for a moment, then they all knelt down.

Sun Jian was no exception; he immediately dismounted and knelt on the ground with the officers and soldiers.

Xiong Juzheng announced loudly: "By imperial decree: Sun Shidu was framed by a villain. The rumors that Sun Shidu treated human life as worthless, plotted to murder the imperial envoy, and indiscriminately killed soldiers are completely unfounded. I am aware of this matter and have ordered the Prefect of the Capital to thoroughly investigate this case."

"Order Grand Tutor Sun to go to the palace to meet the Emperor immediately, without fail."

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Xiong Juzheng ignored everyone's reactions and directly said to the guards behind him, "Take this dog eunuch to prison."

"Take everyone present here today away!"

"yes!"

The guards acknowledged and began to carry out the order.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse. The soldiers who had previously attacked Sun Jian were now ashen-faced and cried out that they were innocent.

"Lord Xiong, I'm innocent! I've been a yamen runner in the capital for three years, and I'm one of your old subordinates. Today's events were all instigated by that eunuch Zhang from the Sili Supervisor!"

"Lord Xiong, I was completely unaware of this, I was completely unaware of this."

Xiong Juzheng sneered, "Damn it, a bunch of dogs! How dare they say they've followed me for three years? Have they lost their minds?"

"Without even distinguishing right from wrong, he dared to attack Reader Sun based solely on the words of a dog eunuch. He risked his life for someone else's sake, so who can he blame?"

"Let me tell you, there are thousands of yamen runners in the entire capital city government. If you want to survive in the officialdom, you'd better keep your hands clean in everything you do!"

"Take him away immediately!"

"Not a single one is allowed to escape!"

Xiong Juzheng was too lazy to waste any more words with these lowly yamen runners, showing them no mercy whatsoever.

Seeing that the situation was under control, Xiong Juzheng immediately changed his demeanor, and the speed of his expression change left Sun Jian speechless.

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Sun Jian, saying, "Haha, Reader Sun, you know about His Majesty's edict. Shall we set off now?"

"I am Xiong Juzheng, the Prefect of Kyoto. I won't bother with formalities; I don't like them anyway."

Sun Jian smiled slightly and clasped his hands in a salute: "Lord Xiong, you are too kind. I have long admired your name. It is truly an honor to meet you today."

"Oh? Has Reader Sun heard of my name?"

Xiong Juzheng raised an eyebrow, his face amiable.

Sun Jian smiled and nodded.

Not only have I heard your name, but I also know about your deeds.

Among the many officials that Governor Yao left for Sun Jian was Xiong Juzheng.

After all, the Prefect of Kyoto would be equivalent to the Party Secretary of the capital city in later generations.

Later, when he served as an official in the capital, he would inevitably have to deal with officials like this, so Sun Jian had a rather deep impression of him.

Although Xiong Juzheng's official rank was only fourth grade, he was a man of considerable ability.

"Yes, I have heard that Lord Xiong was a military general who followed His Majesty in his early years to conquer half of the country. Therefore, I have long heard of your great name."

Sun Jian did not try to curry favor; he simply addressed the matter at hand.

The roster said that Xiong Juzheng was highly skilled in martial arts, brave and invincible on the battlefield, and could take the head of an enemy general as easily as taking something out of a bag.

Unfortunately, this man is not very flexible and is straightforward. Although he is brave and skilled in martial arts, he lacks the talent of a general. After suffering a defeat, he publicly contradicted the emperor and was dismissed from his post. He was only temporarily appointed as the Prefect of the Capital a few months ago.

Upon hearing Sun Jian boast about his heroic deeds from his earlier years, Xiong Juzheng laughed heartily: "Hahaha, very good, very good! Reader Sun's temperament suits my taste, I like him!"

"Today's events have startled you, Attendant Reader. His Majesty is already fully aware of this matter. Let's not waste any more time here. Let's go to the palace immediately to see the Emperor! We can travel together, and I will explain the whole story to you on the way. How about that?"

"Excellent!"

Sun Jian nodded and immediately agreed.

The two boarded a carriage and rode at full speed towards the palace.

Inside the carriage, Xiong Juzheng stroked his beard, laughed heartily, and said to Sun Jian, "Although Sun Jian is a scholar, he has the demeanor of a great general. Faced with such a dangerous situation, he can remain calm and composed. He must be a man of great talent."

"Lord Xiong, you flatter me."

Sun Jian waved his hand in rejection.

“Ahem, Reader Sun, there’s no need to be so modest. You are someone His Majesty values. I don’t like the polite words of scholars. What I said comes from the bottom of my heart.”

"Reader Sun, your situation today was indeed perilous! Haha, thankfully nothing serious happened!"

"To be exceptionally selected by His Majesty as a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and appointed as the Crown Prince's tutor, he must not be an incompetent person."

Sun Jian shook his head and smiled bitterly, then sighed, "Lord Xiong, being an official isn't necessarily a good thing. I've only just arrived in the capital, and I've already been framed in a series of schemes. The waters in the capital run deep."

"To be honest, if you hadn't arrived today with His Majesty's golden seal and the Golden Guards, I might have killed many of the Kyoto yamen runners and fled back to my hometown with my men."

Thinking of what had just happened, Xiong Juzheng's face darkened.

Sun Jian is right, otherwise he wouldn't have arrived just in time today. This matter would have really spiraled out of control.

He won't be able to explain himself to His Majesty then!

“Reader Sun, to be honest, I almost became someone else’s pawn today…”