it's all over
The capital city seemed to have returned to its former tranquility. The Northern Abyss delegation was preparing for Princess Munasha's departure from the capital. The banditry in the northern border had been quelled, and the Night Hawk Pavilion, after suffering heavy losses, seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
However, both the Prince Heng's Mansion and the Prince Zhao's Mansion knew that beneath the calm surface lay the final and most turbulent undercurrents.
The Lord of Night Hawk Pavilion, that former dynasty prince, would never let this go easily. His decades of hard work couldn't be completely destroyed by a single setback. He was waiting, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to Great Entropy.
Inside the study of Prince Heng's mansion, candlelight burned all night. Zongzheng Hengyu, along with several trusted advisors and Jiang Wanzhi, who had been secretly brought there, were analyzing all the clues they had gathered about the Night Hawk Pavilion.
“Based on the documents we seized during the raid on the stronghold, and the information provided by Mr. Ghost Face…” Zongzheng Hengyu paused slightly when mentioning Mr. Ghost Face, his gaze meeting Jiang Wanzhi’s for a moment, the two understanding each other without words, “The ultimate goal of the Night Hawk Pavilion Master is not simply assassination or creating chaos. What he wants is to overthrow the court and restore the previous dynasty.”
An aide pointed to several tattered letters spread out on the table and said, “These scattered pieces of information point to a possibility: he seems to be looking for a ‘hidden treasure’ left behind by the previous dynasty, which is said to be the capital left by the last emperor of the previous dynasty to restore the country, including huge wealth and a group of hidden armed forces that are still loyal to the previous dynasty.”
"A hidden treasure?" Jiang Wanzhi repeated softly. She recalled the time-travel novels and historical materials she had read, and this kind of setting was not unfamiliar to her. "Are there any clues about the specific location?"
“It’s very vague.” Yan Cheng shook his head. “It only mentions cryptic phrases like ‘fallen star’ and ‘dragon in hiding,’ which seem to point to the imperial mausoleum or some ancient site related to the royal family.”
Zongzheng Hengyu's gaze was deep and serious: "He has endured for decades, and now he has suddenly accelerated his actions, even at the cost of exposing his strength to attack Jiang Wanzhi. It must be because... he has found a key clue, or the time is coming."
A sudden thought flashed through Jiang Wanzhi's mind, and she asked, "Does Your Highness remember that on the day of the lotus appreciation banquet, Miss Su seemed to... convey some kind of message?" Although she hadn't seen the specifics clearly at the time, Su Yuyue's subtle actions and thoughtful expression afterward left a deep impression on her.
Zongzheng Hengyu's eyes narrowed, and he immediately ordered, "Monitor Su Yuyue immediately! Investigate all her recent movements and who she has been in contact with!"
Shortly after the order was given, the secret guards sent an urgent report that Su Yuyue had left the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion alone half an hour ago and was heading north of the city by carriage, her whereabouts were mysterious!
“North of the city…” Zongzheng Hengyu immediately stood up. “The royal temples and the ruins of the former dynasty’s ancestral temple are all in that direction! Follow her!”
He had a strong premonition that Su Yuyue's connection might be the key to unlocking the final mystery. He glanced at Jiang Wanzhi and said in a deep voice, "You stay in the manor; your safety comes first."
Jiang Wanzhi shook her head firmly: "Your Highness, let me go with you. I may have different insights into these cryptic sayings and secrets." She knew her martial arts skills were weak, but her transmigrator's way of thinking and knowledge might be helpful at a crucial moment.
Zongzheng Hengyu stared at her for a moment, and seeing the determination in her eyes, he finally nodded: "Alright, but you must stay close to me."
The group quickly set off, silently disappearing into the night, and headed north of the city in pursuit.
…………
Meanwhile, in the north of the city, lies the ruins of the former imperial ancestral temple.
This place had been abandoned for many years, and the broken walls and ruins looked particularly eerie under the cold moonlight. Su Yuyue, dressed in a dark cloak, stood alone in front of the ruins, clutching a yellowed piece of paper tightly in her hand.
This was the last clue she extracted from the old palace maid: the dying words of a close bodyguard of the last emperor of the previous dynasty, which stated, "The dragon lies hidden in the abyss, the star falls in the land, and hope for the restoration of the kingdom remains." After several days of investigation, she focused her attention on the former dynasty's ancestral temple.
She doesn't want to restore the previous dynasty; she simply wants to find the power to overthrow the current royal family and avenge all her enemies! Whether it's the deceased Zongzheng Mingchen or those who looked down on her and used her, she will make them pay the price!
She searched carefully through the ruins, following the clues on the note, and finally found a very well-hidden mechanism under a broken stone wall with a faint dragon pattern engraved on it. Her hand trembled as she pressed it.
With a soft "click," the stone wall slowly slid open, revealing a deep, downward-facing cave entrance, just wide enough for one person to pass through. A musty, cold aura wafted out.
A look of wild joy flashed in Su Yuyue's eyes as she was about to step inside.
"It seems that Miss Su arrived before me."
A hoarse, distorted voice suddenly rang out from behind.
Su Yuyue turned around in horror, only to find that a group of men in black had silently surrounded her. The leader, shrouded in a wide black robe and wearing a black mask, was none other than the Night Hawk Pavilion Master!
"Pavilion...Pavilion Master?" Su Yuyue's voice trembled. She hadn't expected to meet the person in question here.
"I must thank Miss Su for finding this final entrance for me." The Night Hawk Pavilion Master's voice carried a hint of amused mockery. "Your digging into the past of the Ming King's mother and investigating the secrets of the previous dynasty has been of great help to me. In return, I can let you... die a little more painlessly."
Su Yuyue's face turned deathly pale instantly. She realized that she had been used from beginning to end!
Just then, another cold voice pierced the night sky:
"I'm afraid you won't get your wish."
Zongzheng Hengyu, accompanied by Jiang Wanzhi and a group of experts, appeared around the ruins like divine soldiers, surrounding the Night Hawk Pavilion members. Sharp weapons gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
The Lord of Night Hawk Pavilion slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Wanzhi beside him from behind his mask. He let out a low laugh: "They're all here... Good, saves me the trouble. Let's settle things here today!"
He suddenly waved his hand: "Kill!"
A great war is about to break out!
The remaining assassins of the Night Hawk Pavilion charged fearlessly towards Prince Heng and his group. Meanwhile, the Night Hawk Pavilion Master moved with lightning speed, heading straight for Zongzheng Hengyu! He knew that killing this pillar of the Great Entropy would throw the court into chaos!
Zongzheng Hengyu showed no fear, drew his longsword, and charged forward! The two figures instantly clashed, sword energy crisscrossing, and a strong wind swirling around them, causing the surrounding broken walls and ruins to shatter and fly with fragments.
Jiang Wanzhi was tightly protected behind Qingdai and the others. She watched the fierce battle in the arena with bated breath, her heart pounding in her chest. Her gaze swept across the scene and she suddenly noticed the open cave entrance and some blurry carvings on the stone wall beside it that seemed to be related to celestial phenomena.
"A falling star... a dragon lurking..." she murmured to herself, her mind racing. Combining the location, her status as a member of the former dynasty's ancestral temple, and those inscriptions...
"Your Highness!" she suddenly shouted, "The entrance is the key! The secret he's looking for might be inside, or... there might be something he absolutely needs inside! We can't let him in!"
Her shout made the Night Hawk Pavilion Master, who was engaged in fierce fighting, pause slightly, and his attack became even more frantic, clearly because his thoughts had been exposed!
Upon hearing this, Zongzheng Hengyu's swordsmanship became even more ferocious, tightly entangled with the Night Hawk Pavilion Master, preventing him from having a chance to escape and approach the cave entrance.
However, the Night Hawk Pavilion Master's martial arts skills were beyond imagination. He bravely endured a sword strike from Zongzheng Hengyu, broke free from the battle, and lunged towards the cave entrance!
"Stop him!" Zongzheng Hengyu shouted sharply.
Several guards rushed forward at the same time, but the Night Hawk Pavilion Master dodged them with his strange movements. It looked like he was about to rush into the cave!
At the critical moment...
Su Yuyue, who had been hiding to the side with a deathly pale face, suddenly had a crazy and resolute look in her eyes! She knew she couldn't escape death, but even if she died, she would take someone down with her! She suddenly pulled out a poisoned dagger from her sleeve and, with all her might, lunged at the Night Hawk Pavilion Master's back!
"Pfft!"
The dagger successfully pierced through, but as if the Night Hawk Pavilion Master had eyes in the back of his head, he slightly shifted his body at the last moment, and the dagger only pierced his shoulder blade. He then slammed his palm hard onto Su Yuyue's crown!
Su Yuyue didn't even utter a sound before she died on the spot, her eyes still filled with shock and resentment.
But this brief delay is enough!
Zongzheng Hengyu's sword, like a persistent ailment, pursued him once more! This time, the sword light was like a rainbow, accurately piercing through the Night Hawk Pavilion Master's defenses, which were slightly hampered by his injury, and directly penetrating his heart!
The Night Hawk Pavilion Master's body stiffened abruptly. He slowly lowered his head, looking at the sword tip that had pierced his chest, and a hoarse sound, like a broken bellows, came from under his mask.
"The former dynasty...revived..." He managed to utter a few words before finally bowing his head in despair, his breath fading away.
This remnant of the previous dynasty, who had been lurking for decades and stirring up trouble across the land, finally fell at the very place where his dream of restoring his kingdom began.
With the death of the Pavilion Master, the remaining Night Hawk Pavilion assassins were quickly eliminated.
Zongzheng Hengyu drew his longsword, looked at the Night Hawk Pavilion Master lying on the ground, remained silent for a moment, then stepped forward and gently removed the ghost mask.
Beneath the mask was a pale face, yet handsome features were still discernible; only his eyes were now filled with lifelessness and resentment.
“The former Prince Yu, Murong Xuan.” Zongzheng Hengyu recognized the portrait he had seen in the royal archives. Decades of hatred and ambition had ultimately come to nothing.
He turned around, looked at the deep cave entrance, then at Su Yuyue's corpse on the ground, and finally his gaze fell on Jiang Wanzhi. His eyes held a hint of complexity, but more so a calm after the dust had settled.
“It’s over.” He walked to Jiang Wanzhi’s side and took her slightly cool hand in his.
Jiang Wanzhi looked at everything before her, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The long-running conspiracy, killings, and scheming had finally come to an end at this moment. She grasped Zongzheng Hengyu's warm and strong hand and gently leaned towards him.
"Yes, it's over."
…………
With the Night Hawk Pavilion Master Murong Xuan executed and his remaining followers wiped out, the dark clouds that had shrouded the capital for months seemed to have finally dissipated.
However, the people on the ruins were not entirely at ease. The deep, dark entrance, like an unknown mystery, drew everyone's attention.
Zongzheng Hengyu ordered the scene to be sealed off and sent elite guards to investigate first. About an incense stick later, the guards returned to report.
"Your Highness, inside the cave is a secret passage leading downwards to a stone chamber. Inside the stone chamber... there is no gold or silver treasure, nor any divine weapons, only... a large number of letters, account books, and some seals and maps of the previous dynasty's royal family."
Everyone was taken aback. This was far from the "secret treasure for restoring the nation" they had imagined.
Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Wanzhi exchanged a glance, and the two of them took the lead into the secret passage. The secret passage was damp and cold, and at the end was a not-so-spacious stone chamber.
Just as the guards had said, on the stone platform in the center of the stone chamber, there were neatly stacked stacks of yellowed letters and booklets, and next to them were some obviously ancient wooden boxes containing jade seals, military tallies and other items from the previous dynasty.
Zongzheng Hengyu casually picked up a letter and unfolded it. His gaze swept over it, and his expression gradually became solemn. He then flipped through several more letters and several account books, his aura growing increasingly cold.
"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Jiang Wanzhi noticed his unusual behavior and asked softly.
Zongzheng Hengyu handed her a letter, his voice filled with suppressed anger: "Read it yourself."
Jiang Wanzhi took the letter and examined it closely by the torchlight. The handwriting was delicate, but the contents were shocking!
This is a secret letter between a former official and a high-ranking official in the current court. The letter not only expresses nostalgia for the previous dynasty, but also reveals some of the court's movements, including... details of the cover-up of a border military rations embezzlement case from several years ago!
She quickly flipped through the other letters and ledgers, growing increasingly alarmed with each reading. These documents—what were they supposed to be for restoring a nation's capital? They were clearly a vast network of relationships and a repository of evidence meticulously woven by the Nighthawk Pavilion over decades!
It contains detailed records of the overt and covert collusion between many court officials, generals, and even members of the imperial family and the Night Hawk Pavilion, as well as evidence of their corruption, bribery, forming cliques, and even treason! Some of the names are none other than the seemingly respectable high-ranking officials in the court today!
“He…he doesn’t want to restore the kingdom…” Jiang Wanzhi’s voice trembled slightly as she realized, “He wants to…completely disrupt the Great Entropy, causing the court to rot and collapse from top to bottom! These…are his greatest weapons!”
The so-called "secret treasure" is not a wealth or an army at all, but a powder keg full of scandals and evidence of crimes, capable of detonating the entire Great Entropy court!
Murong Xuan had endured for decades, weaving this vast net and collecting this evidence, all to unleash it at a crucial moment, causing upheaval in the court and among the people, thus achieving his goal of overthrowing the regime.
Kidnapping her and dealing with Prince Heng were just parts of his plan, designed to create chaos so he could finally unleash these "weapons."
What a vicious plan! What a deep-seated scheme!
Zongzheng Hengyu's face was icy cold. He quickly gathered up the documents and said in a deep voice, "This matter is of great importance and must be presented to Father Emperor immediately!" He glanced at the corpses of Murong Xuan and Su Yuyue on the ground, "Seal this place completely. No one is allowed to approach without my order! All those who know the truth must keep it a secret!"
"yes!"
…………
The next day, early morning.
The atmosphere in the Imperial Court was heavier than ever before. Emperor Zongzheng Hong sat high on the dragon throne, his face ashen as he looked at the small number of secret letters and account book copies on his desk, which had been selected by Zongzheng Hengyu and involved a wide range of issues.
Even if it's just the tip of the iceberg, it's enough to shock this seasoned emperor.
"Well...well, Night Hawk Pavilion! Well, Murong Xuan!" The emperor's voice, filled with thunderous rage, echoed in the silent hall, causing the civil and military officials standing below with their heads bowed to tremble with fear. Those with guilty consciences, in particular, were trembling and sweating profusely.
"I never knew that so many corrupt officials were hiding in my court! Forming cliques, engaging in bribery and corruption, even... treason!" The emperor slammed his fist on the imperial desk, his voice like thunder. "Is this how you, who eat the emperor's food, serve the emperor's burdens?!"
"We are guilty!" All the officials knelt down in unison, none daring to raise their heads.
The emperor took a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger, and his gaze swept across the crowd below like a sharp sword, finally landing on Zongzheng Hengyu, who stood calmly in front of him.
"King Heng".
"Your subject is here."
"You are in full charge of this matter! Form a joint trial with the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate! Based on this evidence, investigate thoroughly! No matter who is involved, or what their official rank, there will be no leniency!" The emperor's voice was resolute and unwavering. "I want this world to be free of such demons and monsters!"
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Zongzheng Hengyu replied in a deep voice. He knew that this would be a far more complex and brutal purge than any battlefield battle. But for the sake of the stability of the Great Shang's empire, this painful but necessary cleansing was necessary.
In the following months, the capital city and even the entire DaShang officialdom were swept by an unprecedented storm.
One by one, officials who were usually high and mighty were dismissed and investigated; one after another, old cases were brought up for retrial; and one after another, imperial edicts to confiscate property, exile, or even execute were issued from the palace.
The implications were so widespread that they shook the court and the public. Some wept bitterly, regretting their actions; others stubbornly resisted and tried to justify themselves; still others, cornered like dogs, attempted to commit treason. But faced with Prince Heng's iron fist and irrefutable evidence, all resistance was futile.
In this turmoil, Zhao Wang Zongzheng Zhaoran was able to stay out of the fray because of the "convenience" he provided at the last moment, the information about Mr. Ghost Face, the fact that he was not found to have any substantial collusion with the Night Hawk Pavilion, and the fact that he voluntarily handed over some of the peripheral forces that might have implicated him.
However, he also deeply felt the emperor's admonition and the Prince Heng's rising prestige, and became increasingly low-key and cautious in his actions.
This major upheaval in the imperial court, triggered by the destruction of the Night Hawk Pavilion, lasted for quite some time.
Although the process was accompanied by growing pains, it also thoroughly eradicated a huge cancer lurking within the court, resulting in a cleaner bureaucracy and smoother government operations.
After this baptism, the foundation of the Great Entropy Dynasty became even more solid.
In this storm, Prince Heng, Zongzheng Hengyu, demonstrated unwavering integrity, decisiveness, and exceptional abilities, earning him greater respect and recognition from both the court and the public. His prestige was unparalleled for the time being.
With the last batch of criminals dealt with, the long-nosed capital city has finally ushered in a long-awaited and solid peace.
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the eaves and brackets of the Prince Heng's Mansion in a warm golden light.
Zongzheng Hengyu stood by the study window, looking at the trees in the courtyard that were beginning to sprout new buds. His usually cold and hard eyebrows were now tinged with a rare sense of peace after exhaustion.
All conspiracies and threats have been eliminated. Everything that stood in their way has vanished.
It's time.
He turned and looked at Jiang Wanzhi, who was sitting quietly to the side, engrossed in reading a book. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her serene profile; the beauty of tranquility was unparalleled.
He walked up to her and extended his hand.
Jiang Wanzhi raised her head and looked into his deep eyes, where she saw the composure that comes with weathering storms, and even more so, the undisguised tenderness and expectation he held for her.
"Jiang Wanzhi," he said in a deep and solemn voice, "the storm has passed, and peace reigns. I, your king, offer you my kingdom as dowry and the rest of my life as my vow, and promise you a grand wedding. Are you willing?"
Looking at the man before her, who had repeatedly protected her and given her boundless security, Jiang Wanzhi's heart was filled with warmth and happiness. She smiled sweetly, placed her hand in his warm palm, and spoke clearly and firmly:
"I do."
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