Chapter 168: Duke Boping Yang An

The moment the ‘Decapitation Order’ was signed, the document transformed. All the names on the list turned crimson, then twisted, dissolved into ash, and vanished. This was no ordinary document; it was a ‘Destiny Ledger’! By signing this order, Zhao Xing effectively removed these individuals from the Imperial Fortune System.

“Ah, how did I drop to the Eighth Rank?”

“Ugh, my bones, my bones are broken!”

“My silver bones have reverted to iron bones; I’ve been stripped of my rank!”

“Hahaha, so this is my true power.”

“My Qi and blood flow is sluggish; is this what it means to have fortune returned to the court?”

A commotion erupted among the criminals gathered in the square. Some had already noticed their cultivation realms plummeting, even their cultivation techniques and martial arts degenerating. Others, in that very moment, found their hair turning white and their skin wrinkling.

This was the Imperial Fortune System in action! If Zhao Xing possessed the ‘Qi-Gazing Technique,’ he would have seen a ‘qi’—a vital energy—being drawn from all 1,366 individuals in the square, coiling and gathering above them. Just as the imperial court could bestow blessings, it could also reclaim them. Whether it was cultivation realms or lifespan, once completely removed from the Imperial Fortune System, individuals were stripped back to their original state.

Ordinarily, this process was far more devastating. For both martial artists and mages, the foundations laid and structures built with the court’s assistance would crumble. Removing a single beam or half the foundation would result in more than just being reduced to one’s original state. Therefore, committing a severe crime that led to expulsion from the Imperial Fortune System was virtually equivalent to a death sentence. The only exceptions were individuals like Zhao Xing, who had cultivated every step of their power independently, relying solely on the system for fortune and extended life. For such individuals, even if their official ranks were stripped in the future, their personal strength would remain largely unaffected, certainly not as severely as the criminals in the square.

“I want to see the Marquis! I want to see the Marquis!”

“Why? I’m a Seventh Rank martial general! Why don’t I even get a chance to atone?!”

“Just because I embezzled tens of thousands of taels, they’re going to kill me?”

“Marquis, Marquis, I refuse to accept this!”

Witnessing the widespread regression of cultivation realms and hair turning white, many in the square had a sudden premonition and began to struggle frantically.

Inside the hall, Qiu Mingyi watched Zhao Xing sign the Decapitation Order without hesitation, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. The Inspection Bureau truly needed such talent! Executing all 1,366 individuals was not something one could do with mere courage; it required immense resolve. Moreover, Zhao Xing was no hothead who would issue the order on a whim. Qiu Mingyi had set up several tests earlier: first asking how many people should be dealt with, implying Zhao Xing had the authority to conceal some names, and then mentioning that some were from the Divine Might Army, allowing for leniency. It was clear that when Zhao Xing signed this order, he had no one to rely on but the law itself and the court’s current crackdown campaign. If Zhao Xing had been a naive youth, or a weakling lacking resolve and political acumen, he would have found this decision incredibly difficult. A peculiar gleam appeared in Qiu Mingyi’s eyes as he rose, extending a hand and saying, “Please, Chief Inspector, proceed to oversee the executions.” By holding the Chief Inspector’s token, Zhao Xing was technically the Chief Inspector. Although originally a mere figurehead, Qiu Mingyi’s current appreciation was so great that he addressed Zhao Xing as Chief Inspector, a clear sign of his high regard.

“In that case, I shall presumptuously oversee the executions on behalf of Lord Qiu.” Zhao Xing, holding the command arrow, ascended on a cloud to hover above the square. Once a task was undertaken, it had to be seen through to the end, and executed flawlessly. Minor offenses would never have caught the attention of the military intelligence department. Therefore, of the individuals on the list, thirty percent were guilty of serious crimes, and seventy percent were condemned to death! Zhao Xing’s judgment of capital punishment was entirely justified.

Long Xiao was filled with sorrow, yet he remained behind Zhao Xing, unable to look down, for the faces below were all familiar.

“Long Xiao? How are you here?”

“The Chief Inspector’s token? Who is this person? He’s not Qiu Mingyi!”

“I know him; I think he’s Zhao Xing.”

“Zhao Xing? Isn’t he our Divine Might Army’s genius Quartermaster?”

“What? This is *his* inspection mission? He wants us dead?”

“Long Xiao, you scoundrel, you betrayed your brothers!”

“Long Xiao, quickly, plead for your brothers! Have you forgotten the years we fought side by side?”

Zhao Xing remained impassive, deaf to their pleas. Holding the command arrow, he roared, “Silence!” The command arrow temporarily endowed him with the ritualistic power of ‘words becoming law.’ He then cast a silencing spell, and the square instantly fell into absolute silence.

“As military generals, you should have used your martial prowess to end conflict, defend the nation, and protect its people. Instead, you have committed countless atrocities—arson, murder, looting, oppression of the populace, and betrayal of the country—crimes too numerous to recount! While you may have contributed meritorious service in the past, you also enjoyed the court’s blessings. Merit is merit, and crime is crime. Today, acting under the decree of Great Zhou, I sentence you all to death! Execute immediately!”

Zhao Xing flung the command token downwards. As it descended, the sky above the entire square seemed to collapse. The ‘qi’ that had gathered overhead now plummeted like a colossal mountain. The moment the token touched the ground, these individuals would instantly die painlessly. But just then—

“Wait!”

A deep voice resonated from afar, and Zhao Xing turned his head to look. A figure in azure armor, enveloped in the power of heaven and earth, swiftly descended upon the Inspection Bureau square. Beneath the falling Decapitation Order token, a massive azure dragon’s claw appeared, forcefully lifting it back up. “Azure Dragon’s Grasp! The Marquis of Boping has arrived.” “Yang An, he really came.” Zhao Xing felt a surge of disappointment.

If Yang An protected even a single person today, his impression of the Marquis would be greatly diminished. If he pardoned everyone, Zhao Xing would have to discuss moving elsewhere with Wei Yuan tomorrow.

“Greetings, Divine Might General.”

The inspectors and temple personnel in the square, along with the accompanying soldiers, all bowed in salute. Seeing this, Zhao Xing also cupped his hands in greeting.

Yang An was remarkably young, with fair skin, red lips, and a prominent nose—a handsome man. Were it not for his azure battle armor, military boots, and the greatsword on his back, he would appear as a dashing young noble, completely unlike the general commanding an army. At this moment, everyone addressed him as ‘Divine Might General’ rather than ‘Marquis of Boping,’ because the former was his official rank, and the latter his noble title. The title ‘Marquis’ was typically used in private, while ‘Divine Might General’ was reserved for formal occasions. Beside him stood a middle-aged scholar with shrewd, triangular eyes and a cunning expression, likely Jia Pu, the well-known strategist of the Divine Might Army.

Zhao Xing felt a hint of disappointment towards Yang An, his salute even a little perfunctory. After cupping his hands, he silently descended through the clouds, returning to the corridor to stand with Old Chen. Chen Shijie, easily discerning Zhao Xing’s thoughts, immediately whispered, “Just observe quietly. The Marquis never disappoints.”

Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow, looking back at the sky. With Yang An’s arrival, Zhao Xing’s turn to speak was over; the conversation was now between Yang An and Qiu Mingyi.

“Divine Might General, why do you obstruct law enforcement?”

“The Inspection Bureau intends to execute 1,366 of my brothers; how could Yang An not come?”

“Even if Lord Qiu insists on the executions, the men should at least be given a chance to speak their last words.”

Yang An landed in the square, and a dragon’s roar echoed, immediately shattering the silencing spell.

“Marquis! Marquis!”

“I’ve been wronged, Marquis!”

“Marquis, Qiu Mingyi, this cruel official, harbors ill intentions and wants to kill us!”

The crowd in the square immediately erupted in wails and cries. Zhao Xing? He lacked the stature and was not well-known enough, so their anger was clearly directed at Qiu Mingyi.

Qiu Mingyi stepped through the air to the square, completely unafraid, directly facing the might of the Azure Dragon.

“Then let’s hear what else they have to say.”

Yang An nodded. “Silence!”

The square instantly fell silent. A strange look flashed in Zhao Xing’s eyes; this was no ritualistic spell, but something achieved purely through Yang An’s personal charisma and authority.

“Hong Tai, what injustice have you suffered?” Yang An first asked Hong Tai, the highest-ranking martial general. “Speak, and this Marquis will bring you justice!” Hong Tai looked up, his lips parting, but he found himself unable to speak. Had he been wronged? No, he hadn’t. The crimes were real, and the evidence was irrefutable. How could he argue?

“Can’t speak?” Qiu Mingyi sneered. “Then I shall speak for you. Hong Tai, in the tenth year of Jingxin, you were transferred to Tao County as the Land Registrar. Given the state of the Divine Might Army at the time, even the Marquis of Boping was dismissed from his post. You transitioned from a military to a civil role, dropping from a regular seventh rank (lower) to a junior seventh rank (upper). Tao County is a fertile region; even if not blessed with perfect weather, it experienced few natural disasters. As a military quartermaster turning civil official, you no longer had to fight or stand guard day and night, and your salary even increased. Tell me, did the court mistreat you with this transfer?”

Hong Tai stiffened his neck and said, “That was the Marquis taking the blame for his brothers! The Marquis was forced to resign to protect the army’s men…”

“Good!” Qiu Mingyi interrupted Hong Tai. “It’s good that you know.”

“But how did you repay the Marquis of Boping in Tao County? Answer me!”

“Marquis, I… I know I was wrong…” Hong Tai dared not lift his head.

“Know you were wrong?” Qiu Mingyi scoffed. “I doubt it. In your five years in Tao County, you raped fourteen women, forcing five of them to their deaths. The other nine were silenced with money. A year ago, when the Marquis of Boping returned to the army and began to rectify military affairs, you feared exposure. In a fit of madness, you then murdered the families of all fourteen women to silence them permanently. You thought you left no trace, but you forgot that the gods are watching! How could you, a respectable Cavalry Commander, repeatedly err and fall to such depths? You claim injustice—but is it *your* injustice, or the injustice of the women you bestially murdered, or the injustice of their departed souls?!”

With every word, Qiu Mingyi took a step, until finally, his voice thundered across the entire sky. All the criminals in the square could not lift their heads. Qiu Mingyi scanned the crowd: “If any of you feel you have been wronged, speak up loudly! If I have made even one erroneous judgment, I will immediately take my own life as atonement!”

Silence. A deathly silence. As Qiu Mingyi finished speaking, the command arrow above the square suddenly plunged further by three tenths, and the Azure Dragon’s Grasp seemed to waver, on the verge of collapsing. Hong Tai crawled on his knees to Yang An’s feet.

“Marquis, Hong Tai knows his sins are unforgivable!”

“But for the sake of my many years of loyal service, please, Marquis, temporarily pardon me and let me die on the battlefield!”

“Hong Tai vows to die fighting on the battlefield!”

After speaking, Hong Tai kowtowed heavily to the ground. Seeing this, the others followed suit, prostrating themselves and pleading.

“Marquis, I, He Long, only embezzled tens of thousands of taels! Why a death sentence?”

“Marquis, if we must die, let us die on the battlefield!”

“Marquis…”

Qiu Mingyi remained silent. These men had confessed their guilt and offered no rebuttal; their only plea was for Yang An to use his special privilege to pardon them, allowing them a different form of death. If Yang An truly did so, Qiu Mingyi would be powerless to intervene. This was the prerogative of the powerful and aristocratic families, a systemic issue inherited from history. In the early days of the Great Ancestor’s campaign to conquer the land, first-rank cultivators could have chosen to establish themselves as kings in the Eight Desolations. With sufficient personal power, why would they pledge allegiance to Great Zhou if not for privileged treatment? These systems of privilege were complex, neither purely good nor purely bad, but they undeniably existed.

Zhao Xing watched the scene, finding this challenge truly difficult. Facing former subordinates who pleaded for a different form of death, most others would likely be moved to grant a pardon. However, if Yang An granted clemency, Zhao Xing’s own assessment would inevitably decline. Of course, at this point, he would certainly not speak up to persuade anyone. Everyone had their own choices; Zhao Xing’s choice was to impose harsh sentences and not oppose the court’s strict crackdown. How would the Marquis of Boping choose?

After a moment of silence, Yang An spoke.

“Hong Tai, Qi Shan, my brothers.”

“You excelled at using martial prowess to end conflict, and even now, I believe you could do so again. But you forgot the heart of defending the nation and protecting its people. The national law condemns your crimes, and there is no room for leniency. Yet, in the sins you committed, I, Yang An, bear a share of the blame. It is due to my improper governance that I grievously lose 1,366 of my brethren today! I, Yang An, shall be punished first!”

The precious sword behind Yang An suddenly sprang from its scabbard. Before the eyes of the stunned crowd, the golden blade suddenly slashed across his left shoulder and right leg.

*Thwack!*

The blade neatly severed his left shoulder and right leg!

“Marquis of Boping!” Qiu Mingyi’s expression was deeply moved.

“Marquis!”

“Divine Might General!”

Gasps of alarm erupted from various parts of the square! Zhao Xing was also astonished; he hadn’t expected Yang An to be so ruthless, directly severing his own arm and leg.

While it was true that treasures existed in this world that could regrow severed limbs, and for a Fourth Rank cultivator, obtaining bone-mending ginseng was not difficult, anyone truly daring enough to do this was still a formidable individual!

“Marquis! Marquis! We are willing to confess our sins and face death!”

“The Marquis regards us as his own limbs, and today he severs his own limbs because we deserve to die!”

“Marquis, no!” Hong Tai and the others, seeing Yang An about to stab himself further, rushed forward like madmen, even with their ropes bound, trying to block him.

“Divine Might General!” Qiu Mingyi also interjected, “Please don’t do this.”

“Marquis,” the middle-aged scholar Jia Pu stepped forward, tearfully saying, “Just grant your brothers’ request and send them on their way.”

Yang An closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and then the golden sword soared, instantly piercing all 1,366 people in the square.

“Effective immediately, I, Yang An, am demoted to a common soldier, assigned to the Vanguard Camp, to slay barbarians and atone for my fallen brothers!”

“I will continue until I have killed 13,660 individuals! I hope all soldiers of the Divine Might Army take me, Yang An, as a warning.”

With that, Yang An transformed into an azure dragon, gathered the bodies of the deceased soldiers, and flew away from the Inspection Bureau.

“‘Grievously losing my brethren,’ indeed! ‘Demoting myself to a common soldier,’ indeed! What a Yang An!” Zhao Xing watched Yang An’s receding figure, a peculiar gleam in his eyes. “To be able to do something to this extent, it’s no wonder your name shakes the world!”