Beware Of Chicken v7c30: The Fall of the Wu part 1

Having directed their cultivators to manage the situation, the natural progression was to head to sleep; Chanchou felt completely worn out from the dull day, and thus she rested deeply. She stirred awake early, though, full of anticipation to reveal her sister's misguided choices... yet the morning held peculiarities.

“What do you mean no one showed up last night?” Father questioned one of the servants, tasked with greeting their “guests”.

“No one came, My Lord,” the servant affirmed. “We received no word from the individuals you mentioned would appear.”

“Useless, worthless fools,” Father grumbled quietly. He hurried to his chamber and tore apart yet another talisman. He lingered. And lingered further. And waited even longer.

After twenty minutes passed without any cultivators appearing, he dispatched servants to the palace they maintained to locate the man.

Yet, when their minor transmission stone activated… the message brought ill tidings.

“It’s deserted, My Lord,” the servant reported.

“....what do you mean by that?” her father grated.

“Exactly as I stated, My Lord. The palace staff mentioned they were sent away late last night by Master Ye Shun, so they retreated to the servants’ quarters. Now, there’s no furniture, no opulence, no provisions—they’ve even removed the gold and jade embeddings from the meditation chambers.”

Chanchou’s mouth fell open. Her husband’s eyes widened in shock. Even Father appeared completely perplexed, until fury consumed him.

“Treacherous, unreliable—this is precisely why one must never rely on a cultivator. Their vows mean nothing. The Azure Jade Trading Company must have tempted them somehow. Our spies reported their abundance of cultivation resources. Naturally, the peasant opted for that instead of his integrity,” Father growled, before shooting a fierce look aside.

Chanchou grew pale.

“Wha—what should we do now?” Chanchou inquired. “They must still be pretending, right?”

Father merely fixed her with a stare.

“Foolish girl,” was his only response, and Chanchou recoiled. “They’ve notched a few small wins, so they believe themselves unbeatable. We must—”

He halted as urgent, hasty knocks sounded at the door to his study.

“Come in,” he ordered.

A servant cautiously peered inside. “My Lord. A emergency court session has been summoned by the Lord Governor and the Lord Magistrate of Pale Moon Lake City, acting for the Auditor General and the Lord Director of Civil Service Examinations. They’ve bypassed our usual notifications to our people, and guards are present… They’ve shifted their patrol paths. They’ve encircled us.”

Chanchou’s breath caught.

Father furrowed his brow. “Understood,” he replied, then softened his tone. “How many troops accompany them?”

The servant, visibly uneasy, gulped. “At minimum a hundred. My Lord, what—”

“That suffices,” Father directed. “Do not fret; it’s simply a governmental issue needing resolution.”

The servant nodded uncertainly, then withdrew and shut the door.

“It appears they intend to keep us from fleeing,” her husband reflected. Chanchou, conversely, sensed her heart pounding wildly.

“Wha—” she began, her voice escalating, but suddenly something struck her. A burst of heat and agony flared on her cheek. The room whirled. Chanchou cleared the dizziness from her vision to witness her father pulling back his hand.

“Compose yourself!” Father commanded her. Treating her like mere staff!

Her gaze snapped to her husband, who remained silent about the blow. In truth, he avoided her eyes entirely. His gaze sharpened toward the horizon beyond the window. It was icy and shrewd. Chanchou swallowed hard, and folded her hands tightly in her lap.

“Instruct the servants to prepare for departure. We’ll bide our time, to test their resolve—but set all backup plans in motion,” Father announced.

Father retrieved a scroll and started writing. Chanchou merely sat there, hands clasped in her lap, attempting to disregard the burn on her cheek.

Father summoned another servant upon finishing. “Deliver this message to our allies in Grass Sea City and Yellow Rock Plateau. Place a reward on the head of our dear ” Father instructed, then stood, and faced Chanchou’s husband.

“We shall weather this,” he declared plainly, “just as we’ve weathered since the Age of Heroes. Now, let’s observe their next move.”

Chanchou’s husband regarded her father and grinned. It was the grin he flashed when plotting, when he held disdain for someone.

“Naturally. I’m confident in our ultimate triumph,” her husband answered.

The men exchanged nods. Their gazes were both frigid.

The faint pangs of dread, suppressed by the ache, began to resurface.

….this was entirely her sister’s doing. Had she not… Chanchou halted the notion.

===========================

The Lord Governor of the Azure Hills found himself in a foul temper. He seldom felt otherwise when forced to convene an early special court session, but the Lord Director of Civil Service Examinations along with the Auditor General had pressed the issue firmly.

The petition arrived the previous evening, interrupting his delight in a most adept courtesan’s presence. She excelled at go, her movements graceful and polished, and her singing heavenly. Her final song especially moved him to tears… until his aide entered and announced the visitors seeking audience.

That exchange proved irritating, and certain papers raised alarms. Alarms severe enough to disrupt his rest and churn his gut.

He hadn’t even eaten his breakfast yet.

He marched through the palace corridors with a scowl, encountering Ban approaching from the opposite direction. The Lord Magistrate of Pale Moon Lake City joined him with his entourage, their groups blending.

“Lord Governor. You appear fine this morning.” Ban remarked with a mocking smile. The rogue.

The Lord Governor merely glowered at the Magistrate… then spotted the cosmetics concealing the dark circles under his peer’s eyes.

“That severe, Ban?” He queried.

“Far from pleasant, Jufeng. It seems we greatly misjudged our esteemed Auditor General.” Ban responded. “The sly fox truly lives up to his nature. Though when it comes to confronting foes far larger, he shows no timidity. I’m truly puzzled by how he acquired this intel.”

“Rumors swirled about the Wu Clan’s estate being searched yesterday.” Jufeng noted. “I dismissed it as baseless chatter, figuring no one would dare such folly, but evidently someone did.”

Neither relished being mistaken. Nor the turmoil bound to follow.

“Ah, ever the thrilling era, My Lord Governor.” His Magistrate quipped. “Let’s pray it doesn’t rival the chaos of thirty years past, eh?”

The governor winced. Yes. Thirty years prior. Such a catastrophe. Without that green-haired fellow, the bald one, and the spotted maid…

Well. No point reviving bitter recollections.

Both halted before the meeting chamber’s entrance. An aide awaited there. The aide seemed quite ashen.

“Meng. Are all present?” he inquired of the man.

“Yes, My Lord, all listed individuals are here except…” The man hesitated. “We might face a… issue.”

The Governor inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

“What kind of complication?”

“My Lord, do you know the primary Heavenly Ascension Stone?” The man asked cautiously.

“Yes, the damaged one that fails to sense anything in the Initiate’s realm.” He answered.

The palace’s builders had clever designs; a cultivation sensor embedded in the ground. The issue lay in its inability to register ninety-nine percent of the province’s cultivators.

“It activated. And… we verified the symbols. Confirmed them thrice, to ensure accuracy, but….”

Everyone stilled at that revelation.

“You’re sure?” the governor pressed.

“We’re uncertain if it truly sensed a presence or if it was merely another Qi fluctuation.” the man repeated. It’s off now; and no one resembling a cultivator is visible…” The man faded out.

Something suspicious was indeed occurring. It began three years back, when a traveling cultivator unwittingly destroyed several detection stones with his power… and expressed regret. Then compensated them for replacements. That stood as one of the strangest dispatches Jufeng had reviewed. A cultivator, regretting damage?

To shatter those amulets, the individual required Spiritual Realm or above. Vastly superior to any cultivator in the Azure Hills.

Subsequently, a figure matching that cultivator’s likeness began roaming the province. He surfaced sporadically, but soon the Plum Blossom’s Shadow emerged abruptly.

Following that came the incident at the dueling peaks. Then the Qi disturbances during winter, which Mengde’s Crystal Emporium deemed natural.

And now this.

He breathed a heavy sigh.

“Well. No reason to delay.” He uttered at last with a frown.

The attendants parted the doors for him, and he entered the chamber. He swiftly surveyed the assembly. Few were present; chiefly directors, their assistants, various noble houses. Sheng Yanjing sat beside the Lord Director of Civil Service Examinations, the pair conversing softly, papers spread across the table.

Numerous affiliates of the Wu faction attended too, but the Wus proper—and the Treasury Master—were notably absent.

The guard leader had instructions to seal off the Wu Clan’s residence.

All stood.

The Governor and his Magistrate advanced to the forefront, where his throne stood ready. It ranked as the second most lavish chair in the space. The superior seat loomed elevated above his, veiled in fire: the Emperor’s emblematic throne, forever vacant.

The infernal fixture always intensified the summer swelter intolerably.

The Herald of the Azure Hills initiated the ceremonies; announcing the year, the day, and all tedious formalities before permitting the others to seat themselves.

“And now, we proclaim this court in session!” the man concluded. “Glory to the Crimson Phoenix Empire! May its flame endure forever!”

“Glory to the Crimson Phoenix Empire! May its flame endure forever!” the court chorused in reply.

Jufeng settled in firmly. At least the Emperor permitted cushioned thrones.

“This emergency court gathering has been convened by the Auditor General of the Azure Hills, and the Lord Director of Civil Examinations for the Azure Hills,” He announced, his words resounding through the hall. “It pertains to grave matters of His Imperial Majesty’s administration, supported by the endorsement of two esteemed officials. Auditor General. Continue.”

“Yes, Lord Governor,” the man replied, standing. “This Sheng Yanjing, Auditor General of the Azure Hills, charges the Wu Clan with bribery, corruption, conspiracy, arson, and assassination!” the commoner proclaimed. “As evidenced in the Wu Clan’s own ledgers.”

“And how were those ledgers obtained?” Ban inquired, his attention fixed on the documents.

“Through searching the Wu Clan’s estate, as permitted by the authorities bestowed upon me by His Imperial Majesty.” came the audacious answer.

The court instantly burst into cries of dismay and fury. Glances sharpened toward Yanjing, and not solely from the Wu allies. Every aristocrat appeared unsettled by the disclosure. It formed one of his authorities, yet employed rarely.

The nobles found it repulsive, being treated as if they were plebeians.

Damnation, it repulsed him too, as this threatened to upend the balance. He aged; such agitation was the final burden he desired.

And yet… he felt genuine admiration. The Wus had advocated for Yanjing’s Auditor General role, yet now he turned against them fiercely.

Jufeng’s first views of the man painted him as a timid weakling. His features didn’t help, resembling a weasel, and his smirk suggested intrigue. Certainly, the man excelled in his duties, sharp-minded, diligent, and as a lowborn striving to excel… but also malleable and yielding.

That trait explained why he permitted the Wus to back the man without resistance, offering little opposition to his selection. An ambitious faint-heart? Valuable.

His forerunner proved highly capable… yet methodical. Upon uncovering an issue, he persisted until unearthing every detail.

When he ensnared a target, no getaway existed. The drawback was his increasing sluggishness with age; tasks accumulated. Toward his tenure’s close, adversaries evaded him readily—a confirmed reality in the Grass Sea fiasco.

Yanjing moved swiftly. In his debut month, he finalized more reviews than his elder completed over years. The volume was smaller, admittedly, but maintaining that rhythm? It would have served perfectly.

A diligent soul who labored quietly, save when the Wus hatched some idiotic scheme.

Yanjing had also flagged peculiar discrepancies in Grass Sea City dispatches… prior to the Wus directing him toward Huizhong. Irksome, but the cost of employing a lively youth beholden to nobles. Plus, Huizhong warranted occasional discipline. Jufeng couldn’t touch the smug oaf, given the cultivators’ favor. But several months of discomfort? The cur earned it.

It ought to have silenced the nobles’ complaints… and let another spread the tale.

He absolutely wouldn’t inform the idiots about the Shrouded Mountain Sect’s humiliating loss in a booze-fueled fight.

Afterward, he vanished, shunning the city. He traveled north for half a year, returning with newfound resolve.

Which might intrigue, if the youth weren’t recklessly marking himself as a target.

The whispers and ire crested, and as interruption loomed, a weathered hand lifted.

“I acknowledge the Lord Director of Civil Service Examinations.” he declared, silencing all.

The Lord Director of Civil Service Examinations stood.

“The incursion into a noble’s residence occurred not rashly, nor without exploring alternatives,” the elder stated, his tone soft and even, yet every ear caught it. “As a modest agent of His Imperial Majesty, I counseled this path when young Yanjing consulted his senior. He offered compelling proof that such action was essential.”

That deflated much of the outrage. The Lord Director embodied restraint itself. The veteran ranked among the more agreeable types. Even Jufeng’s predecessor urged respecting the man’s guidance, which proved effective—largely since he seldom offered it. He managed his domain quietly and avoided meddling in Jufeng’s plans, unless they disrupted governance. Even then, the elder collaborated to achieve Jufeng’s aims rather than outright refusing and entrenching.

“Compelling proof?” Ban pressed.

“Beyond the ledgers revealing blatant embezzlement, and accounts from nearby villages of misconduct, such as withheld food deliveries and arson… we secured a statement from one of the Wu Clan’s daughters.” The elder proceeded.

Jufeng arched a brow. “Why would a Wu daughter testify against her kin?”

“The Wu clan schemed to assassinate her son, then tried wielding my authority as a weapon against her when her son evaded the attempt.” Yanjing interjected this time. He seemed genuinely indignant.

Who imagined the fox harbored such righteousness? Rare to err so in judging character.

“And who is her son? Known to this assembly?” he questioned.

“The interim Lord Magistrate of Grass Sea City.”

Gasps echoed anew, and Jufeng’s eyes tightened.

The Special Inspector, elevated to Acting Lord Magistrate. One of his prime assets; the figure who reshaped Grass Sea City and eliminated numerous thorns from Jufeng’s side.

The Wus had backed the man. Jufeng viewed it as their crowning achievement; their puppet, seizing control. His feats seemed uncanny. Extraordinary, truly. He assumed the Wus supported him wholly.

Yet evidently, they plotted his demise, spared only by divine fortune.

He scowled.

“What findings emerged from your search?” He demanded.

“The plotted murder of a Lord Magistrate, the accomplished slaying of another. Deliberately undermining famine relief supplies. Instructing operatives to hinder firefighters, allowing rivals’ structures to burn.” Yanjing began.

The chamber fell hushed as the charges flowed, accompanied by raised volumes each instance.

Jufeng maintained a composed expression while the man detailed. He’d need to review his private files later, perhaps incinerate some. Likely ample incriminating material in his hidden notes; essentials for tracking debts, payments, or letters for future leverage.

And yes, ample filth now aired publicly. Yanjing tactfully omitted names presently. But Jufeng could see m