Nightfall

When Ning Que found Shangguan Yangyu, this upstart of Tang was toping in the House of Red Sleeves. His characteristic triangular eyes looked even more obscene when blurred. His beard was soaked in liquor and swept on the table like a brush pen. It made him look even more funny and disgusting.

The Tang Empire was undergoing very severe obstacles. Everyone from the Imperial Study to every ministry was running around and staying up all night. He could not understand why Shangguan Yangyu was here. But due to the urgency, he did not bother asking.

Upon seeing him, Shangguan Yangyu became almost sober. He wanted to go to the toilet but did not dare. Instead he asked, “What are you up to, Mr. Thirteen?”

Ning Que answered, “I need to kill some people.”

His understatement was like thunder to Shangguan and made him completely sober now. There was a tic in his lower abdomen and he shivered. He felt like he already did his business in the toilet.

The reason for his overreaction was that he clearly knew that whenever Ning Que said that he would kill, he would definitely act on it. Moreover, he was definitely killing someone important and he must have further plans beyond that.

Ever since many years ago, Ning Que had started killing people in Chang’an, including a lot of government officials. Shangguan started to learn about him since then. He pretended to be ignorant at the beginning, and ended up pledging absolute loyalty to him, body and soul.

If Ning Que had not killed the censor Liu Yiqi, there was no way he could have become the governor of Chang’an. To some extent, he was Ning Que’s earliest supporter and benefited the most from it. He could never forget those bloody moments.

Now that Ning Que had become the most important person in the Tang Empire, even more important than the emperor, he could kill whomever he wanted with no objections from anyone. But why did he come for Shangguan?

Shangguan could not figure out why but became even more humble. Ning Que knew what he was thinking about but did not explain. He looked at Shangguan and asked teasingly, “So, don’t you want to help?”

“How could that be possible?” Shangguan Yangyu seemed solemn and looked around to make sure that no one in the house was paying attention to them. He lowered his voice and answered resolutely, “Even if you were to ask me to kill someone in the imperial palace, I will definitely follow!”

Ning Que seemed to be satisfied and took him out of the House of Red Sleeves.

Shangguan Yangyu did not dare to say anything further. He grabbed his gown and went out to the street. He became a bit pale perhaps because of the chilly autumn wind and rain.

He was absolutely courageous in the battle years ago and had been promoted rapidly to a Grand Secretary, and ranked in the top five in the imperial court. But he knew clearly that he was only able to receive this position only because Ning Que and the Academy trusted him. Therefore, no matter what the Academy wanted to do, or whom Ning Que wanted to kill, he had to support them. He was not like the Grand Secretary Zeng Jing who could always curse Ning Que without worrying about his position or being killed by the Academy. It was because he had a great daughter. However, Shangguan still could not figure out who Ning Que wanted to kill. Could he be planning to take down another Tang emperor?

The autumn rain pattered continuously and the streets were soaked. When the carriage stopped, Shangguan Yangyu lifted the curtain and found himself not inside the imperial palace. He felt somewhat relieved.

Ning Que took him to a huge but humble courtyard. It was completely silent in the yard and seemed gloomy in the misty rain.

Shangguan Yangyu knew what this courtyard was designed for but was even more confused. If the person he wanted to kill is here, he could just kill him. Why did he drag me here?

Entering the main hall, Ning Que sat on the wooden chair. He took the tea from an official of the Ministry of Penalty and opened the lid. “The tax advisors from the Ministry of Revenue will arrive soon,” he said.

Having said that, he looked out to the wet corridor and sensed an indistinct lockage of Qi of Heaven and Earth. He said, “We’re running out of time, so we need to hurry.”

When the entire world attacked the Tang Empire years ago, Li Huiyuan usurped the throne and He Mingchi took over the Tianshu Institute and South Gate Abbey. Chang’an was in chaos and numerous people were killed during that time.

When Ning Que and the empress returned to Chang’an and got control of the situation, they suppressed and wiped out the rebel cultivators, sentenced or imprisoned them in this huge courtyard. The arrays here could not restrained the powerful figures of Knowing Destiny, but were far from enough to disable those cultivators.

“It’s no big deal to kill…” Shangguan Yangyu was not able to finish his words.

“We will kill many,” Ning Que said. “Not only those here, but many more out there. How could I kill so many by myself? The imperial court has to be part of this.”

Shangguan Yangyu seemed bitter and said, “I have served as a Judicial Military Supervisor previously. But I have never supervised sentences. Isn’t it more appropriate to get the Ministry of Penalty involved?”

“I can do the supervision myself. But that’s not what we need.” Ning Que said, “I’ve told you that we will kill many people today. We cannot afford any mistakes. Therefore your Ministry of Revenue is the best match.”

Recalling that he said the tax advisors from the Ministry of Revenue were coming, Shangguan Yangyu was shocked. He was stiff and wondered, Does he mean that he needs the Ministry of Revenue to do the counting? So… so… how many is he going to kill?

“I suppose you already know what happened to the governor of Chuzhou.” Ning Que stood up and walked to the handrail. He looked at the falling rain and said, “You were afraid. Therefore you were indulging yourself in the House of Red Sleeves.”

Everyone in the Tang Empire knew that Mr. Shangguan was greedy and virtueless. But he was most respected for his loyalty to, or even fear for, his wife. Therefore it was very unusual for such a person to be drinking and flirting around in the brothel early in the morning.

Upon hearing Ning Que’s words, Shangguang Yangyu paused for a long while then answered, “Indeed… I was indeed afraid. I don’t want to be killed secretly like that.”

Ning Que said, “I’ll make sure you are safe as long as you stay in Chang’an.”

Shangguan Yangyu looked at his back and said, “What about outside? If the Academy could not protect the government officials, how could they not be afraid?”

Ning Que turned to him and said, “You are right, so I need to kill as many as possible today. Only by doing so could we warn them from the further killing of our men.”

Shangguan Yangyu’s triangular eyes suddenly brightened as he realized what the Academy was doing. But they soon dimmed again because it might not necessarily solve the problem.

Then, the Yulin Royal Guards escorted a dozen of officials from the Ministry of Revenue in the wind and rain. They were the best at accounting and would make no mistakes with numbers.

Thus, Ning Que could start killing.