Chapter 304: Killing Without Bloodshed

The Six Departments *yamen* were tightly adjacent to the Imperial City, just outside Chengtian Gate.

Zongrenfu, the Household Department, the Board of Personnel, the Board of Rites, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, Qintianjian, Guozijian, Honglusi, Taiyiyuan, all crowded together.

In front of each *yamen*, drivers and sedan bearers wearing gray cloth clothes also crowded together. Chatting, farting, gambling, each waiting for their master.

When Chen Ji came out of the Board of Personnel, the sun was already high.

A Board of Personnel official, wearing a blue robe, personally escorted him out of the *yamen* and patiently instructed him, saying: "The Feather Guard Army Commandery is just on the opposite side. Cross this road, and the *yamen* gate with the 'Feather Guard Army Commandery' plaque hanging on it is the one!"

"Also, I need to tell you about the situation of the Feather Guard Army, so you'll know how to handle yourself!"

Chen Ji cupped his hands: "Please enlighten me, sir!"

The History Department official kindly said: "We're all on the same side, no need to be polite! In its early years, this Feather Guard Army was part of the five guards system, equipped with one Commandery and five Commanders under its jurisdiction, totaling five thousand six hundred people! But later, the Feather Guard Army was only responsible for imperial front ceremonial guards and was only used during sacrifices to heaven, sacrifices to ancestors, and receiving foreign envoys. It slowly reduced to two guards, only equipped with two fourth-rank Commanders. The Commandery position was always vacant. One Commander governed five hundred people, totaling one thousand people!"

The official continued, saying: "Now, Commander Li Xuan's unit is short of people. The Ministry of War plans to recruit from the capital's vicinity, but they definitely won't be able to recruit a full complement for a while! The other Commander is also an old acquaintance of yours, so I don't need to introduce him myself! After entering the Feather Guard Army, just follow him and you'll be fine, no mistakes!"

An "old acquaintance," Chen Ji's heart was shocked!

The first difficult problem he faced upon returning to the capital was not an enemy, but an acquaintance!

The place he was assigned was still the Feather Guard Army, a gathering of dandies!

Chen Ji's mind quickly raced. He was once just an obscure illegitimate son of the Chen family, so he naturally didn't have any well-known old acquaintances. Then there was only one possibility: this Commander was a member of the Chen family, which is why outsiders would think they were familiar!

Who could it be? The head of the eldest branch, Chen Li Zun, had no sons or daughters, so it wasn't someone from the eldest branch. The head of the second branch, Chen Li Zhi, had two sons. His legitimate eldest son, Chen Wen De, was an official serving as Vice Minister of the Board of Rites and wouldn't be assigned to the Feather Guard Army. His legitimate second son, Chen Wen Ren, was once a Hundred Households official in the Ten Thousand Years Army... It must be him!

He also didn't know if there were other acquaintances in the Feather Guard Army, this army of dandies.

At this time, the Board of Personnel official in front smiled and said: "Zhang adult, who is responsible for the 'Capital Inspection' held every six years, is incredibly busy and often not in the *yamen*! I am Zhou Xingwen, the Director of the Personnel Selection Department in the History Department. If you have anything to come to the Board of Personnel for, and Zhang adult is not in, you can directly find me!"

The Director of the Personnel Selection Department, responsible for official appointments and position assignments, truly the "number one Director in the world," holding great power!

But this "number one Director in the world" was more amiable than imagined!

Chen Ji again cupped his hands: "I've troubled you!"

After he left, Zhou Xingwen let out a breath and turned back to the Board of Personnel office.

Inside the office, someone said without lifting their head: "Old Zhou, I've never seen you this diligent. A mere Feather Guard Army small flag officer actually had you personally escort him out the door. Which family's young master is this?"

Zhou Xingwen smiled slyly, but did not answer!

But then another official behind a different table teased: "No wonder your promotion speed isn't as fast as Old Zhou's, even though you were Jinshi in the same year. He's already been promoted to fifth-rank Director, while you're still only a sixth-rank Head Official!"

The official who had asked earlier raised his head in astonishment: "Where did that come from? Just praise him, why are you belittling me?"

The official who teased him laughed: "That young man just now might not be a simple small flag officer. He's a man of merit who just returned from Gulin, with the lives of over a hundred Jing Dynasty rebels in his hands! But that's still not the key. The key is the message conveyed by the palace official: when this small flag officer entered the palace to see the emperor, our Zhang adult opened his mouth twice to plead for him!"

"Then how is he still a small flag officer? With his merit and Zhang adult's backing, fishing for a Hundred Households or Thousand Households wouldn't be difficult!"

Zhou Xingwen sat behind his desk, took a sip of hot tea, and slowly said: "His Majesty said to first put him in the Feather Guard Army to temper his character! There are only a few people who can make His Majesty say this in these years. One is Zhang Zhuo, Zhang adult, and another is Wang Dao Sheng, Wang adult!"

"Wang Dao Sheng still hasn't recovered his rights for now. His Majesty saying that doesn't mean anything!"

Others sitting behind their desks sneered: "How come His Majesty didn't say to temper you? Does His Majesty even know who you are?"

The face of the teased bookworm official sank: "If you can't handle your work well, you have all day to think about these things!"

Zhou Xingwen shook his head; arguing was pointless!

But another official still wouldn't let the bookworm off: "Old Zhou's capability, you really can't deny it! When Zhang adult's promotion document came down, you all declined to deliver it, saying Luocheng was too far, but Old Zhou actively volunteered to go! Now look, he's a favored person in front of Zhang adult, the first Director!"

The bookworm muttered: "Dogshit luck!"

Others gave him a sidelong glance: "This 'Capital Inspection' happens once every six years and covers all officials in the capital and Jinling below the fourth rank! The last time it was held, a total of one hundred ninety-seven officials were dismissed and sixty-seven were demoted! Now, officials in both capitals turn pale when they hear 'Capital Inspection,' isn't that right?"

The bookworm doubted: "Yes, but why?"

Others continued: "Zhang adult's promotion to Left Vice Minister of the Board of Personnel happened at such a coincidence, right on the eve of the 'Capital Inspection'... It's clearly His Majesty wanting him to return to the capital to take overall charge of the 'Capital Inspection'! Think again, who was in charge of the 'Capital Inspection' before? The Minister of the Board of Personnel, the Censor-in-Chief."

When Zhang Zhuo returned to the capital, entering the cabinet was already a sure thing!

That bookworm still argued: "Zhang adult's future is limitless, what does that have to do with that small flag officer?"

Zhou Xingwen put down his teacup and looked out the window. Only a few people noticed that Zhang Zhuo's legitimate son and daughter had returned from Gulin with that small flag officer!

Under the scorching sunlight, Chen Ji avoided vehicles and horses crossing the long street!

Arriving in front of the Feather Guard Army Commandery, he saw the *yamen* gate was open!

On the drill ground, the more than thirty Feather Guard Army soldiers who had returned from Gulin together were practicing with spears!

Further away, there were still some Feather Guard Army soldiers in twos and threes sitting under the shade of trees, chatting idly. He didn't know what they were talking about, but they burst out in raucous laughter together!

Chen Ji thought for a moment and lifted his foot to walk inside!

The Feather Guard Army soldiers under the stable stood up, patted their butts, and boldly came over. Someone shouted from afar: "That Chen family boy, do you still remember me, ha ha ha? Jianing twenty-sixth year, the literary gathering at Xiaoyingzhou, remember?"

Chen Ji frowned. This person had clearly seen him, but who was he? Chen Ji had no clue!

Just when he was at a loss, he saw Qi Jianzhe rush out of the two-story pavilion at the edge of the drill ground, waving excitedly: "Master, master."

Chen Ji's footsteps paused, and he turned his head to look!

Qi Jianzhe jogged over and pulled him towards the pavilion!

Chen Ji subconsciously wanted to struggle free, but seeing those several "acquaintances" on one side immediately let Qi Jianzhe pull him along!

Qi Jianzhe said as they walked: "Master, I was waiting for you at the *yamen* gate since early morning. You came just as I went inside to drink a mouthful of tea, so it looks like I'm lying to you! Brother-in-law is also here, he can testify for me, I really just went inside to drink a mouthful of tea!"

However, before the two had walked far, they heard those Feather Guard Army soldiers from before say: "Qi Jianzhe, this is one of us, what are you pulling him for?"

Qi Jianzhe stopped: "One of you? Zhao Zhuofan, our grandfathers lived and died together in Gulin, how did my master become one of you?"

Zhao Zhuofan sneered: "He's a Chen family person. The Commander of this guard is Chen Wen Ren. If he's not one of us, who can he be? Let him say it himself, who is he?"

Everyone looked at Chen Ji, their gazes burning!

Chen Ji thought for a moment, turned his head to Qi Zhe and said: "Where is Li adult? Take me to see him!"

Qi Jianzhe's eyes lit up: "Go, go, go, brother-in-law is inside the Commandery!"

Zhao Zhuofan's face sank: "If you follow Li Xuan today, I'm afraid there will be no place for you in the Chen family!"

Chen Ji was deaf to this, and asked Qi Jianzhe in a low voice: "What do the Feather Guard Army do every day? Why are there so few people in the Commandery?"

Qi Jianzhe smiled, his eyebrows curved: "There's no proper work every day. Like me, a dandy son... Master, I might not be a dandy son now! Before, we all just had our names on the Feather Guard Army roster. We'd answer roll call and then go out to wander! Either go to the Eight Great Alleys, or go drink tea and play chess!"

Chen Ji doubted: "What if His Majesty needs to use the Feather Guard Army?"

Qi Jianzhe explained: "Sacrifices to heaven and ancestors all have fixed times. His Majesty resides deep in Renshou Palace and rarely comes out, so he doesn't need ceremonial guards. The Empress also never leaves the palace ban! Even if they want to leave the palace, Zongrenfu, Honglusi, and the Board of Rites will start preparations more than ten days in advance. We can reassemble then, it's very rare for the Feather Guard Army to be needed urgently! Look, Chen Wen Ren isn't here today, I heard he went to a literary gathering!"

Qi Jianzhe quietly mocked: "With his limited abilities, he clearly went to the literary gathering to hook up with daughters of small families, but he still pretends to be elegant!"

Chen Ji was curious: "Everyone ran away, who does the daily work?"

Qi Jianzhe laughed: "Those from poor families do it themselves. We don't lack this job, but they fear losing their imperial stipend from the Feather Guard Army, so they naturally work diligently!"

Chen Ji looked towards the stable. There were still more than ten Feather Guard Army soldiers silently feeding horses, out of tune with the others!

Qi Jianzhe said to himself: "I wanted to tell you yesterday, the matter of the small flag officer really wronged you, but rest assured, after entering the Feather Guard Army, just treat yourself as a Vice Commander. I, this Vice Commander, can give it to you!"

Chen Ji turned his head and sized up Qi Jianzhe. Had this person not already died once in Gulin and been possessed by some great figure from the Forty-Nine Heavens?

Just at this moment, suddenly someone ran into the *yamen* gate and shouted: "Where is the Feather Guard Army?"

Chen Ji and Qi Jianzhe turned around together to look. It was a small eunuch in a green robe with a round collar, running all the way, holding a yellowish-ochre decree and shouting: "Transmit the inner official's decree! His Majesty and Empress Shen will receive the Crown Prince of Goryeo at Jianji Hall. The Feather Guard Army is to line up and welcome him." Qi Jianzhe was shocked and said in astonishment: "Why so sudden?"

He had just boasted to Chen Ji that not being on duty didn't matter, and retribution came immediately.

Chen Ji said in a low voice: "How many people are needed to line up to welcome foreign envoys?"

Qi Jianzhe murmured: "Goryeo is a small country, three hundred sixty people should be enough... but the Commandery doesn't even have two hundred people now!"

Chen Ji thought: "Dispatch a fast horse to find Chen Wen Ren, where did he go for the literary gathering?"

Qi Jianzhe said flustered: "There's only half a *shi chen* left, not enough time!"

But, he changed his mind and gloated: "That's not right. The inner official definitely knows that this guard only has thirty-seven people left, and they're all here. And we just returned to the capital, it's originally a rest day. If it weren't for you, Master, wanting to come, we fundamentally wouldn't have come to the Commandery to be on duty!"

"So, the punishment won't fall on our heads. If they really blame someone, only Chen Wen Ren and the others will suffer... Strange, why is it so sudden this time?"

At this moment, Li Xuan, wearing silver armor, came out of the pavilion and said softly: "The inner official's knife is still this sharp, killing people without bloodshed."

Qi Jianzhe was startled: "How so?"

Li Xuan glanced at him: "An eye for an eye from the inner official. The Directorate of Ceremonial lost a third-rank or higher Birth Sign Tiger yesterday and needs someone to be buried with him!"

On the drill ground, only Zhao Zhuofan was seen shouting everywhere: "Assemble, put on armor."

The Feather Guard Army soldiers scattered throughout the Commandery quickly gathered, but there were only a little over one hundred sixty people, far from the three hundred sixty needed!

Just when Zhao Zhuofan was helpless, another small eunuch in a green robe came running with an inner official's decree held high, urging: "Where is the Feather Guard Army? Hurry to Meridian Gate to wait for the decree. Why are there so few of you?"

Qi Jianzhe asked Li Xuan: "Brother-in-law, are we going or not? Or should we just go home and rest, let Chen Wen Ren and Zhao Zhuofan suffer completely!"

Li Xuan shook his head: "It's our duty. Put on armor, organize the army. I don't care how others are, we cannot let foreign envoys see a joke."

Chen Ji suddenly said: "Find me a set of armor too, I'll make up the numbers!"