Chapter 234: Fleeing at the Last Moment – A Horrifying Scene

Officials from Qingzhou Prefecture and the Shandong Military Command were summoned to the Han Prince’s palace in Le’an to discuss matters.
By now, the days when princely lords commanded large armies and local officials obeyed them unquestionably since the founding of the Ming Dynasty were long gone. Yet the events that had taken place the previous evening had already reached the ears of all the officials, leaving them with no choice but to go despite their reluctance. To make up for lost time, even the civil officials had to ride horses, enduring such rough rides that they felt their bones might break. Upon arriving in Le’an County, the group of civil officials realized that from the city gates onward, there were guards every three steps and sentries every five steps—not a single civilian in sight.
They dismounted and walked toward the Han Prince’s palace. A few officials who had been in Qingzhou for only a short time and had not yet witnessed the Han Prince’s power could still talk casually as they walked. But Ling Hua, the prefect, and Zhang Yue walked half a step apart, whispering to each other.
“Previously, the Tiance Guards were sent to collect taxes from the Han Prince’s estates. They encountered tenant resistance, and after a clash, they captured over a dozen people. The new county magistrate of Le’an, eager to please the Han Prince, promptly approved a month-long imprisonment using shackles. Normally, such minor offenses would only require shackles used day and night, but it seems the Han Prince was determined to set an example by not releasing them even at night. Last evening, just as the Tiance Guards were withdrawing, a group of people infiltrated the city and rescued those prisoners. It is said that each of them was armed and highly skilled; more than a dozen of the palace’s guards were injured, and one steward was killed on the spot.”
This was first-hand information obtained by Zhang Yue earlier that morning through people he sent to the Jinyiwei, much more detailed than the official reports. At that moment, Ling Hua was both glad to have such an informed subordinate and lamented the situation—how could the Tiance Guards withdraw now with such chaos? The stern-looking soldiers standing all over the streets, with their intimidating gazes, could make anyone’s legs tremble—they were seasoned soldiers from the imperial guard!
“With such an incident, the officials in the prefecture cannot shirk responsibility, nor can the Shandong Military Command escape blame. By the way, Zhang, what about your uncle? I heard he hasn’t returned to Qingzhou Prefecture since delivering the imperial edict. He must be aware of what happened yesterday, right?”
Just as Zhang Yue was about to reply, he heard a call from behind. Turning around, he saw that a group from the Shandong Military Command had caught up. The warriors walked with confident strides, with Liu Zhong leading the way at a rapid pace. After approaching, he ignored the civil officials and simply nodded at Zhang Yue.

“The government office is short-staffed, and there are some things you likely don’t know. Yesterday, over a hundred ruffians broke in, kidnapped people, and then scattered in different directions. Even three of the guards at the Le’an city gate were killed by them! Although those prisoners were sentenced for minor crimes—what could be called extrajudicial punishment—they have now committed murder, making things much more complicated!”
Ling Hua had just received news from Zhang Yue. The other officials originally thought the Han King’s order for everyone to enter the city on foot was just a way to show authority, never expecting things to become so serious. After saying that, Liu Zhong didn’t add much more and, along with a few subordinates, hurried forward, quickly leaving the group of civil officials far behind.
At this moment, Zhang Yue simply pulled the slightly overweight Ling Hua to speed up. Though he was strong, it caused trouble for those behind them. Since they entered through the gate farthest from the Han King’s palace, it took them almost half an hour to reach the large door painted red with gold and copper nails. The gatehouse was covered in blue glazed tiles, and a plaque reading “Duanli” hung above the high lintel—this was the south gate of the Han King’s palace.
Unlike the still energetic military officials, the few civil officials in their thirties were already out of breath. At that moment, Wang Bin, the commander of the Tiance Guard, stepped out from the gate. With a disdainful glance at everyone, he sneered, “In broad daylight, these mobs dare to harass a prince’s household, killing and injuring people inside! What audacity! As civil and military officials, you should maintain peace in the region. Causing such a scene is truly shameful! The prince already reported this matter to the imperial court last night. I don’t want to see you again! If the murderers aren’t caught within ten days, you officials will be dismissed from your posts!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Bin saw another group arriving in a hurry. His eyebrows raised, and his tone became even more mocking, “Lord Zhang, you’re quite late. Everyone else came from Qingzhou and arrived even before you! When you wanted to weaken my Tiance Guard, didn’t you tell the Han King that the Shandong military was strong, that Qingzhou was peaceful, and that large troops were stationed in Le’an, causing trouble in the area… Now that such a thing has happened, what do you have to say?”

Before Zhang Jue could speak, he merely sneered and entered the prince’s mansion without looking back. Immediately afterward, the two red-painted doors adorned with gold and copper nails were slowly closed, leaving the officials who had come specially at the door. Zhang Yue Linghua was fine, and military officers like Liu Zhong, who knew the Han King’s temper, were also okay, but the remaining civil officials, still suffering from sore limbs, couldn’t help but mutter. Among them, Zhang Jue’s expression was the worst, as those last words were aimed at him.

Furious, he turned to glare at the officials and shouted angrily, “You are all local officials. How could such a mistake happen? What crime does that deserve? If you can’t figure out what’s going on within ten days, not only will the Han King deal with you, but I will too!”

Even those officials who tried to keep a calm face were seething with anger. At Zhang Jue’s outburst, their expressions became even more intense. Zhang Yue was furious, thinking, “You Zhang Jue stayed in Le’an for over ten days without sending any news, forcing your son to come to me for help. Now you have the nerve to act arrogantly!” But given the situation, it wasn’t appropriate for him to speak up, so he suppressed his anger. Unexpectedly, the south gate of the mansion, which had just been closed, opened again.

This time, it was a middle-aged eunuch who came out. He cleared his throat and then spoke in a calm tone, “The crown prince says that since the prince refuses to see anyone, he can’t meet with you either. The massacre last evening happened at the north gate. Please go there and take a look. It seems many of the weapons are standard issue from various military units. The officers in the military headquarters should go back and investigate thoroughly. Losing such weapons or allowing thieves to use them is a serious crime! The crown prince also says that the Tiance Guard probably won’t be disbanded anytime soon until this matter is resolved. If Lord Zhang fails in his mission, why not return to Beijing directly to report to the emperor?”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for the reminder. I will set off back to Beijing right away to report to the emperor!”

After the middle-aged eunuch spoke in such a sarcastic tone, the military officers from the military headquarters, who had thought nothing was wrong, were suddenly terrified. Zhang Jue, on the other hand, felt relieved. As the official assigned to handle this matter, he was too lazy to deal with these likely unlucky colleagues any longer. Without another word, he left with his entourage. Once he was out of sight, the group of military officers erupted in chaos—some sneering, some mocking, creating a complete uproar.

“I thought he was better than Meng Xian, but turns out he just runs away when things get serious. What kind of guy is he?”
“Is it just because he’s the younger brother of the Duke of Ying?”

“Leave early. You can’t just take up space without doing anything. At times like this, you only know how to show off your anger—how come you don’t know to take responsibility?”
Zhang Yue knew well that although Zhang Jie was good at hiding his true feelings, he had an inherently contemptuous nature. Seeing him leave carelessly and offend everyone in the process, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. This time, the prefecture office and the military command were like ants on the same string, so he had no choice but to say a few kind words to Liu Zhong, whose face was as pale as iron. With this interference, the group of civil and military officials was no longer as distant as before, and they all headed toward the north gate together.
The Han Prince’s mansion occupied almost half of Le’an County. Going from the south gate to the north gate meant walking half a circle around the mansion. Usually, they rode horses or took carriages, but now they had to rely on their own legs given by their parents, so the exhaustion was unbearable. Even the military officers were complaining. By the time they finally reached the south gate, Prefect Ling Hua was out of breath. If it weren’t for Zhang Yue supporting him, he might have collapsed. The thought of having to walk another distance out of the city made his stomach cramp.
However, when this group of civil and military officials gathered in front of Guangzhi Gate at the north gate of the Han Prince’s mansion and saw the bloodstains on the ground and walls, they were momentarily speechless. Since the bloodstains were fresh from the previous evening and it hadn’t rained since then, the dark red marks were particularly shocking. Bloodstained footprints even stretched far along this three-zhang-wide street.
There was also a eunuch guarding the north gate. When he saw Liu Zhong and Ling Hua, the heads of the two offices, approaching to inquire about the injured and dead, he immediately waved his hand, and a corpse covered in knife wounds and already cold was carried out. As for the injured, the eunuch refused to reveal anything until someone was sent in to seek instructions, after which he allowed only Zhang Yue to go in and take a look.
When Zhang Yue came out of the north gate again, his face was as pale as iron. After stepping down the steps and seeing everyone gathered around, he said in a grave voice, “Seven are seriously injured, fourteen are lightly injured. Among the seriously injured, three have severe knife wounds and are likely beyond saving.”
“What about those mobs? Surely some corpses or survivors should be left behind?”
Zhang Yue slowly shook his head. “It is said that those people were well-trained. The dead and injured were rushed out of the city. Since the Tiance guards had already withdrawn, the city was defenseless, allowing them to take advantage. These people had made thorough preparations in advance—using carriages to transport the injured and fleeing in batches. Aside from those dozen or so tenant farmers who were captured and whose identities could be traced, there’s not a single clue about the others.”

At the thought of that ten-day deadline, everyone gritted their teeth in frustration. But it was useless to talk about it now; the group had no choice but to walk back out of the city the same way they came, where they reunited with the attendants and guards who had been turned away at the gates of Le’an City. Even though their legs felt as heavy as lead, no one cared. On horseback, orders and documents were sent out urgently one after another.