Chapter 120: Irreconcilable Enemies
“Your humble servant... receives the imperial decree!” Hu Chengfu responded softly, then ordered the officials from the Ministry of Justice to fetch the executioner.
Jing Tianlie was already shaken; unable to protect even his own son, Hu Chengfu had no choice but to reconsider his stance.
When the eldest cannot shield the younger, the younger must seek support elsewhere.
Soon, the executioner entered. Jing Heng, upon seeing him, let out a heart-wrenching wail: “Father! Save me! I am your own son!”
“Long Cheng’en, you bastard, you damned eunuch! If you dare kill me, Father will surely avenge me!”
“Father! Save me! Mother! Save me!”
Jing Heng struggled incessantly, but the imperial guards held him firmly. The executioner stood by, awaiting Hu Chengfu’s command.
Hu Chengfu glanced at the Empress. Her expression was icy, giving no signal.
He looked at Jing Tianlie kneeling on the ground, clenching his fists tightly, gritting his teeth as he said, “Carry out the execution!”
The executioner raised his great blade, and Jing Heng’s head fell.
“Good!”
As the blade descended, the gathered crowd erupted in cheers.
Over the years, although the Grand General’s mansion held a prestigious position, the Jing family had acted arrogantly and tyrannically. The citizens of the capital had long harbored resentment.
Now that Jing Tianlie’s son had been executed, the people felt a surge of relief, expressing their approval.
The Empress looked down at Jing Tianlie kneeling before her and said, “Rise. This was all Jing Heng’s fault; it has nothing to do with you.”
Jing Tianlie stood up, his face grim, bowing deeply: “Your servant failed to teach his son properly. Your Majesty... forgive my transgressions.”
The Empress sighed and comforted him: “This matter concerns you not; do not speak of it again.”
“Shui Han is guilty of treason and collusion with the enemy. Burn his body to ashes and scatter the bones.”
“Shen Hong... will be interrogated and sentenced by the Censorate.”
Shen Hong bowed: “This guilty one thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”
The Empress rose to leave, but Long Chen suddenly knelt down: “Your Majesty, your humble servant has further matters to report.”
The Empress hesitated, then sat back down and asked, “What is it?”
Long Chen produced a stack of documents from his sleeve and handed them to Ying Feng, who took them and presented them to the Empress.
“Your humble servant exposes the Minister of War, Bai Qiulian, for embezzling funds and raising a private army.”
Bai Qiulian’s face instantly drained of color. When Jing Tianlie was being suppressed, she had known her own downfall might come—and it had come sooner than expected.
“You lie!”
Bai Qiulian immediately retorted.
The Empress flipped through the documents, then looked at Jing Tianlie before turning sharply to Bai Qiulian, her tone icy: “You diverted five thousand troops from the Ministry of War? Where did these men go?”
Bai Qiulian denied it and continued to argue: “Your Majesty, this is Long Cheng’en’s revenge. I have never deployed private soldiers.”
The Empress threw the documents to the ground and scolded: “The records are clear—on what date, how many troops were used, and to whom! How dare you deny it!”
Jing Tianlie remained silent, well aware that those troops had been given to him.
Most of those men had joined the secret guards, becoming Jing Tianlie’s private force.
Bai Qiulian looked at Jing Tianlie, hoping for his support, but he remained silent.
“Bai Qiulian is guilty of corruption, unauthorized use of private soldiers, and treasonous intent. Seize her!”
At the Empress’s command, the imperial guards stepped forward and arrested Bai Qiulian.
The officials and citizens present all knew Bai Qiulian had surely handed over the private army to Jing Tianlie.
The crowd murmured with discontent, openly accusing Jing Tianlie of disloyalty.
The Empress’s expression darkened. She rose, and Ying Feng brought her horse. Mounting swiftly, the Empress led the procession back to the palace.
The Censorate’s officers escorted Shen Hong away. Long Chen and Di Luoxi’s group mounted and rode back to the Western Palace.
Di Yuwei and Di Xingwan walked together, while other officials gradually dispersed. The crowd watching the scene slowly left as well.
Only Jing Tianlie remained standing in the square, staring at the corpse on the ground, motionless for a long while.
“General,” the chief bodyguard called softly.
Jing Tianlie slowly raised his head, as if aged suddenly.
“Collect the body.”
He mounted his horse and led the Crimson Flame Army back to the mansion. The chief bodyguard gathered the corpse and carried it back to the Jing family residence.
Back at the Jing household, Sun Yongyan was still unaware of the news. Some knew, but none dared to speak it aloud.
Jing Tianlie entered, and Sun Hongyan approached, smiling as she asked, “Master, is that damned eunuch finished now? Will the Ministry of Works be managed by Jing Heng from now on?”
Jing Tianlie stared down at Sun Hongyan from his horse, his gaze dark and fierce. Sun Hongyan shivered with fear.
“Master... what’s wrong?”
Sun Hongyan instinctively stepped back a few paces.
At that moment, the chief bodyguard entered carrying Jing Heng’s body.
Jing Heng was fat, his blood plentiful, and the blood still dripped from his battle robe.
“Master... where is Jing Heng? Did he go to the Ministry of Works?”
Sun Hongyan looked at the bloodstained robe, her voice trembling as she asked.
She knew something had happened but refused to believe it.
Jing Tianlie sighed and cursed toward the sky: “I, Jing Tianlie, have roamed the world all my life, killed countless men, and today I fall at the hands of a eunuch. How hateful! How hateful!”
“The murder of my son is a debt that cannot be forgiven. I, Jing Tianlie, swear to kill Long Cheng’en!”
Sun Hongyan finally broke down, kneeling and wailing loudly: “My son! Long Cheng’en, that damned eunuch, killed my son! Jing Tianlie, what good are you? You couldn’t even protect your own child! In front of you, they killed your son! What use are you? All you do is cozy up to that vile woman, Bai Qiulian!”
With her son dead, Sun Hongyan’s pent-up grief poured out in curses. Jing Tianlie, unwilling to argue, dismounted and entered his study.
Wu Ming appeared in the study and asked, “I went to kill Long Cheng’en!”
Jing Tianlie sat in his chair, laughing bitterly twice: “The Empress is watching me closely. How can you act now? I just punched him, and he actually caught it!”
Wu Ming had avoided the market earlier because the shadow guards were present, fearing exposure.
Though he hadn’t seen it, Wu Ming was secretly shocked. Under those circumstances, Jing Tianlie must have used over eighty percent of his strength—and Long Chen still caught it? That meant Wu Ming could not kill Long Chen!
“No rush, no rush. I am the Grand General of Great Zhou. Even if I collude with the enemy, the Empress won’t dare touch me. No rush, no rush.”
“I am a hunter. I am not impatient. I will take my time.”
Jing Tianlie muttered to himself as if suppressing the murderous intent within.
...
The Empress returned to Phoenix Sing Palace. Ying Feng dismissed the others and happily said, “Congratulations, Your Majesty!”
The Empress replied with satisfaction, “Long Cheng’en did well—he killed Jing Heng before everyone’s eyes. Jing Tianlie’s tyranny is over.”
Ying Feng said with relief, “Those officials who relied on Jing Tianlie should seriously reconsider. If he cannot even protect his own son, what use is relying on him?”
The Empress said, “Hurry the trial of Bai Qiulian. This woman has abetted evil for many years, and I have endured her for too long!”
Ying Feng bowed: “Yes!”
The Empress opened a small secret compartment, took out a small vial, and handed it to Ying Feng: “Give this to Long Cheng’en!”
Ying Feng was surprised: “Isn’t his injury minor?”
The Empress snorted coldly: “Do you think Jing Tianlie is a pushover? I don’t know how Long Chen caught that punch, but he must be injured—and badly! Hurry!”
Ying Feng was secretly alarmed and immediately went to deliver the medicine to Long Chen.