CHAPTER 536: CHAPTER 518: NIGHTMARE

"Grand Scholar, you’re here just in time. Please advise Grandmaster Zhang and the other officials. The Jinyi Guard is acting on the Emperor’s decree to capture the traitors, and their interference is seen as siding with the enemy. Those who disobey will be killed!" Zhang Shun’s deep blue Jinyi Guard uniform was soaked by the rain, and his curved blade was stained with blood. His tone was firm, showing no mercy.

Lin Helin handed his umbrella to the Shadow Guard, instructing him to shelter the elder officials from the wind and rain. In his rage, Lin Helin slapped Zhang Shun hard on the face, an unprecedented outburst for the usually composed Eldest Young Master of the Lin Family in public, "Who will you kill? Who dare you kill?"

Zhang Shun was stunned by the slap, covering his face in disbelief. The Jinyi Guard was the Emperor’s Guard. Three years ago, they were wary of the nobles in the Capital City because the late Emperor’s power had been undermined. The Jinyi Guard was like the Emperor’s dog; the more authority the Emperor had, the more vicious the dog became, acting on the strength of its master.

For the past three years, the Jinyi Guard had been rampant in the capital. Which official dared to resist, let alone openly strike a fellow officer of the Jinyi Guard? The murderous intent in Zhang Shun’s eyes was poised to overflow.

"Lin Helin..."

"You are not worthy to call my name!" Lin Helin flipped his wrist, snatching the curved blade from Zhang Shun and slashing towards him. Zhang Shun was startled when his sword was taken.

Behind him, the Jinyi Guard stood densely packed in a row. He couldn’t retreat in time and in panic grabbed a nearby Jinyi Guard to shield himself. The blade cut across the throat, blood dancing and scattering in the rain. The Jinyi Guard in front of Zhang Shun was killed by Lin Helin’s swift strike. Zhang Shun didn’t even see clearly whom he grabbed as a scapegoat before that person was killed under Lin Helin’s blade.

"Zhang Shun, do you dare kill me?" Lin Helin asked slowly. It was the first time everyone had seen a Cabinet Minister kill in public—quick and decisive. If Zhang Shun hadn’t dodged, it would have been him who was dead. Lin Helin didn’t care whether he killed Zhang Shun or any Jinyi Guard; they all needed to pay the price for tonight’s events!

Zhang Shun dared not kill Lin Helin; he had only been bluffing, hoping Lin Helin would back down, not expecting Lin Helin dared to kill him. "So, the Jinyi Guard is afraid of dying too. But when you killed the Chang Family members, why weren’t you afraid?"

"We were acting on orders. The Chang Family resisted the Emperor’s decree, so they deserved to die!"

"Your insubordination also deserves death!" Lin Helin looked at him coldly. "Killing you is as trivial as squashing an ant, no need for any excuse."

Lin Helin tossed the sword onto him. Zhang Shun scrambled to catch it, his face turning pale in the downpour.

Lin Helin succinctly said, "Get lost!"

After Lin Helin forced the Jinyi Guard to retreat, his men escorted Grandmaster Zhang and several officials into the Jinyi Guard bureau. He had heard about the Chang Family’s tragic fate on the way, which filled him with shock and anger.

"What about the Feng Family?"

"Feng Changqing and Su Yuejiao are not at the Feng Mansion. Before midnight, the Jinyi Guard had orders to capture Feng Changqing and Su Yuejiao at the Feng Mansion, but they were already gone, having escaped. After Chen Fei jumped off the city wall, the Emperor sent the Jinyi Guard to the Feng Mansion. Prince Duan and Princess Duan blocked the Jinyi Guard and didn’t let them enter the mansion, so it’s temporarily safe. The Feng Mansion had long split up, and with Prince Duan mediating, as long as Feng Changqing and Su Yuejiao escape, they should be fine," a younger official quickly reported to Lin Helin.

Grandmaster Zhang said, "Bai Qing, what do we do now? Who can stop this? Jiangnan is still at war, and such a huge incident has occurred in the capital. We officials bear unshirkable responsibility!"

A ruler without virtue means incompetent ministers!

Lin Helin didn’t want to argue any longer about who was right or wrong. The greatest crisis at hand was to quell this chaos, which had started with Yuwen Jing.

It should also end with Yuwen Jing.

"Grand Scholar, do we really have to remain loyal to such a ruler?" came the tearful voice of one of Grandmaster Zhang’s students. "Wasn’t the blood shed by the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry three years ago enough? Tonight, the Chang Family was exterminated, and thousands of officials’ families are imprisoned. What wrong did we do? The ruler is without virtue, brutal to his ministers, colluding with neighboring countries, stirring unrest. Why must we be loyal to such a ruler?"

"Silence!" Grandmaster Zhang scolded. Lin Helin looked at the young student, slightly recalling that he was one of Grandmaster Zhang’s proud disciples and betrothed to Miss Chang. Tonight, after the Chang Family was exterminated, Miss Chang wielded a sword and fought alongside her family, dying under the chaotic blades of the Jinyi Guard. Her fiancé sought aid from Grandmaster Zhang but arrived too late.

In the past, Lin Helin would not have tolerated hearing such words. But hearing again others brand the monarch tyrannical tonight, he couldn’t help but ponder: for what, truly, had he read so many sage books?

For the legitimacy of the nation or for the well-being of the people?

If the ruler is virtuous, then serve; if the ruler lacks virtue, then withdraw.

Yet, he found no escape. He and the ministers had labored tirelessly to support the Yuwen Royal Family for three years, seeing hope and prosperity gradually emerging.

Only now did he see it was a false dawn!

Yuwen Jing, beyond saving!

Standing at the entrance of the Jinyi Guard prison, Lin Helin felt very calm. Once he acknowledged that Yuwen Jing was beyond saving, everything became clear, forcing Lin Helin to ponder one question about quelling the unrest.

If the nobles were to stage a coup, Yuwen Jing was not the late Emperor; he wouldn’t be burned to death in the palace nor die at the hands of kin. The Crown Prince was too young; if a young monarch ascended the throne, the court would surely be unstable.

If Prince Duan was chosen... In recent years, watching Prince Duan, he seemed without fault. But if he ascended and gained a firm footing, the late Empress and Crown Prince’s situations would be quite awkward.

A flash of lightning swept across the sky.

Thunder rolled in.

The mountain of orthodoxy in Lin Helin’s heart collapsed with a crash, much like the towering Hanguang Tower that had stood for hundreds of years. It seemed to have been a warning signal all along.

He... had another choice.

"We must find Xie Xun!" Lin Helin strode into the rain. This scene was exactly like three years ago when he entered the capital. Three years ago, he couldn’t stop anything. This time, he absolutely couldn’t repeat the same mistakes.

Xie Xun and Fengyu were still trapped in the tunnels. Tonight was too long, a torment for everyone. He and Fengyu remained hidden in the tunnels, their Shadow Guards and devoted followers staying inactive.

The heart-wrenching Fengyu was mired in a nightmare, unwilling to awaken. Xie Xun could deeply empathize, having experienced it once himself, watching his elder brother and mothers die before his eyes. Upon leaving the Capital City, he dared not close his eyes, for whenever he did, the scene replayed endlessly.

"Ayu, don’t be afraid, I will stay with you." Words could hardly soothe the pain in her heart, only time could, "I’ll be with you always and forever."

"Sister..." Fengyu was deep in her nightmare, suddenly struggling continuously, "Sister, don’t... don’t... Sister!"

A thunderous boom was heard, even in the tunnels, the sound of rolling thunder. Fengyu suddenly opened her eyes, as if she had just awoken from a long nightmare, grabbing Xie Xun, her tone surprisingly with a hint of joy, "Zhixu, it was just a nightmare, wasn’t it? I just slept too long waiting in the tunnel, didn’t I?"